


Forget Me Not

by hidetheteaspoons, oceanicflights



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Post-FB1, concerned!Newt, hurt!Tina, newtina, pre-CoG
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-02-26 22:04:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18725899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hidetheteaspoons/pseuds/hidetheteaspoons, https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceanicflights/pseuds/oceanicflights
Summary: Post-FB1 AU. Tina is excited to be reinstated as an Auror, even if it is under certain conditions. After a raid gone wrong, Tina suffers a serious head injury and Newt makes his way back to New York to be with her after hearing about it. But will she remember who he is, or will her injury completely erase all memories she had of the magizoologist?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is being written by both oceanicflights and hidetheteaspoons. Enjoy!

_March 1927_

_Tina wasn’t sure when things started going south, but the raid had turned into an all out battle. She was quick to avoid most spells, trying to stand her ground and disarm as many people as she could._

_It was getting harder for her to do both--she was struggling between dodging the curses sent her way and then casting her own in a safe manner. The creature she was trying to save wasn’t exactly worth risking her life, but she was going to do everything she could to get it secured and sent to where it needed to be._

_For a second everything seemed to calm down, yet the Auror waited a moment before slowly retreating from where she was currently attempting to shield herself. As she fully stood up from her crouched position and walked out, there was a sudden green light and then a sharp pain._

_Tina suddenly couldn’t focus on her surroundings and was unable to move when she attempted to look around. The more she fought to gain any control of her body, the more spots appeared in her vision and the more pain she began to feel. After a few seconds, everything went dark._

*** 

_January 1927 (Three Months Earlier)_

The January following the events of New York brought with it a season of change for Tina Goldstein. Thanks to Newt advocating on her behalf, Tina had been reinstated to her former position as an Auror with MACUSA. However, she did not find out until after the holidays that this reinstatement was conditional. 

By order of President Picquery herself, Tina was denied access to more complex and classified cases. Though these types of cases were her strong suit, Tina did not yet have the full trust of MACUSA on her side. It was declared by the President that Tina should be assigned to work with lower level departments in order to diminish the backlog of cases that was continuing to build up. If within six months Tina showed dedication, diligence, and effective reduction of open cases, she would be fully reinstated with access to all Auror assignments. 

Tina sighed as she reached her office one cold February morning. She sat down at her desk with a cup of lukewarm coffee and begin reading over her open case files. As she tried to focus on her work, her mind began to wander to the other side of the world, as she daydreamed of her freckle-faced, creature-loving acquaintance. Tina smiled to herself whenever she thought of him and of their adventures in her bright and busy city. December had truly been the most exciting time of Tina's adult life, and she missed it, oh how she missed it! 

She was extremely grateful to Newt for speaking with President Picquery and was even more grateful to have her former job back. Although it had not been restored to her in fullness yet, it was far better than working in the Wand Permit office. Tina knew she needed to prove that she was loyal and trustworthy enough to fully re-join the investigative team, but that didn't mean she didn't miss the rush of a raid or the thrill of a capture. Though what she missed far more than anything was a flash of copper, a shy smile, and a gentle touch. At times, she could almost feel the ghost of his fingertips along her temple…

Tina was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of scurrying and scratching. With a quick flash, she saw something quickly slide under her office door. She wasn't surprised when a rat made of folded parchment presented itself to her by jumping up on her desk. She could tell by the silver and scarlet colors of the parchment that it was a memo from the President. The rat quickly unfolded itself and Tina tapped her wand on the parchment to reveal its hidden message:

_Auror Goldstein,_

_I hope this memo finds you well. I am pleased to inform you that your transition back to the investigative team appears to have been very successful thus far. I was impressed with your acceptance of the terms of your reinstatement and admittedly very curious about your time spent with Mr. Newton Scamander. As you are already aware, Mr. Scamander spoke very highly of you and your investigative skills, for someone who only knew you for a brief time. It would appear that the two of you made quite a team, which leads me to the reason for this memo. As you know Ms. Goldstein, our Department of Magical Creatures here at MACUSA is small, but plays a central role in carrying out Mr. Scamander’s visions regarding magical creatures here in America. At this point, I'm sure you are wondering what this has to do with you_ \- Tina scoffed and rolled her eyes - _I would like to assign you to collaborate with the Creatures Division for the remainder of your transition phase. Ever since rumors began surrounding the events that occurred last December, there has been an increase in the illegal breeding and trafficking of magical creatures here in New York. It is my opinion that you possess a unique set of skills of both being an Auror and having worked with Mr. Scamander. You understand both people and animals now Ms. Goldstein, which may be of some advantage in the field. Do this, close all forty-two currently open cases regarding magical creatures and your transition phase will be commuted immediately. This is it your chance Ms. Goldstein; there will not be another one available to you. I hope you will consider and accept this assignment. Please write me when you have made your decision._

_All the best,  
President Seraphina Picquery_

Tina leaned back in her chair and sighed deeply. There was no decision to make; it had already been made for her. Tina wrote a quick response to the President and made her way to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. 

***

During the first two weeks of her partnership with the Department of Magical Creatures, Tina closed fifteen cases, which led to the safe recapturing of more than fifty magical beasts. This opportunity had rekindled in her a sense of adventure and, in a way, made her feel closer to Newt. She hadn’t written to him about her new assignment. Tina was humble by nature and though she was proud of herself for taking on this new assignment, she wasn’t going to brag. She preferred to keep her successes to herself and celebrate them quietly. 

By March, Tina had settled into a predictable routine. Each morning, she made her way to the third floor which housed the Creature Department. She was given an updated list of open cases and decided which to tackle first. She would then head out with two employees of the Department, who would handle the capturing of whichever magical creatures they were attempting to rescue. Meanwhile, Tina would capture the trafficker, breeder, or owner and disapparate with them back to MACUSA. So far things had gone smoothly and there had been no issues with capturing either creatures or criminals. 

One particular morning, Tina had been given her usual list of open cases when she spotted a file with a location that was near the docks. Some local No-Maj shipyard workers had reported unusual sounds, lights, and disappearances surrounding a supposedly abandoned boathouse about five blocks from the shipyard. MACUSA got word of these events through a number of informants interspersed within the No-Maj community. The boathouse was rumored to be occupied by a well-know trafficker and breeder, Laris Youngblood, who had escaped MACUSA’s clutches for well over a decade. Tina rounded up her small team and prepared them for the raid. Though she was sure that this raid would end like many of the others involving Youngblood, Tina at least hoped that her comrades would be able to rescue any creatures that were being held captive there, even if they couldn’t catch Youngblood himself. With a crack, the team disapparated to their destination.

***  
Tina wasn’t sure when things started going south, but the raid had turned into an all out battle with Tina and her small team against Laris Youngblood and his followers. She was quick to avoid most spells, trying to stand her ground and disarm as many people as she could. 

It was getting harder for her to do both--she was struggling between dodging the curses sent her way and then casting her own in a safe manner. The creature she was trying to save wasn’t exactly worth risking her life, but she was going to do everything she could to get it secured and sent to where it needed to be. After all, her being fully reinstated depended on her helping get the remaining cases within the Division closed. 

For a second everything seemed to calm down, yet the Auror waited a moment before slowly retreating from where she was currently attempting to shield herself. As she fully stood up from her crouched position and walked out, there was a sudden green light and then a sharp pain as she fell to the ground. 

Tina suddenly couldn’t focus on her surroundings and found herself unable to move when she attempted to look around. The more she fought to gain any control of her body, the more spots appeared in her vision and the more pain she began to feel. After a few seconds of trying to make sense of what was happening, everything went dark.

***

_June, 1927 (Three Months Later)_

Newt Scamander looked down at his desk, more specifically the letter he had been writing. He signed the letter and sighed, now debating if he should even send it. For the past couple months, he had been writing to Tina with no response. 

As time went on, he sent less and less letters but never gave up on hoping she would eventually respond, if even to tell him that she no longer wished to correspond with him. Regardless, he never heard anything back from her. 

The magizoologist had considered writing to Queenie at one point, just to see if he could get a response from at least one Goldstein sister. He never did write to her, deciding that if something bad had happened to Tina, Queenie probably would’ve written him about it already. Maybe the American had simply decided she no longer wanted anything to do with him, and if that was the case he didn’t want to keep bothering her. 

Newt looked back down at the most recent letter he had written, still unsure if he wanted to send it or not. If he did send it, it would be the last he would send if he again received no response, he decided. 

_Miss Tina Goldstein,_

_I hope you and your sister are doing well. I wanted to write once more and apologize for my constant letters. I have not gotten any response in quite some time, and I can only conclude that this means you no longer wish to stay in contact with me. I again apologize if this is incorrect, but I have no way of knowing what has caused an end to your letters. I hope I haven’t done anything to upset you, but again I have no way of knowing._

_I will keep this letter short, having said what I feel needed to be said. Please respond if you feel inclined to, but do not feel obligated. While I would like nothing more than for our correspondence to continue, I fully understand if you do not wish the same._

_Newt Scamander_

It was more formal than the other letters he had sent, but he felt it had to be written this way. He hoped that he was wrong in his assumption and that Tina was maybe just busy and had never gotten any time to respond, but as more time passed he was unable to convince himself that this was the reason for her silence. Newt worried that maybe something bad had happened to her, but again told himself he probably would’ve heard about it by now. Right? But what if something had also happened to Queenie? Certainly if something big enough had happened to take both sisters down, the news would’ve made it to him. 

Right? 

Newt folded the letter and decided he would send it in the morning, if he still felt it was the right thing to do. Leaving his desk, he walked around to check on all of his creatures one last time for the night, trying to get his mind off of the witch who more often than not occupied his thoughts now. After he had made his way back into the main part of his house, the magizoologist decided he should also start getting ready to rest for the evening, having no more responsibilities to take care of. 

He almost missed the envelope sitting on the floor right in front of the door. 

Quickly going to pick it up, Newt’s heart raced at the thought that maybe Tina had finally written him. The handwriting addressing the envelope to him was feminine, but not the feminine handwriting that Newt had come to love. But...it was from America? 

Newt’s excitement turned to panic, why would someone other than Tina be writing to him from New York? He tried not to jump to conclusions before he could open the mail; perhaps it was something from MACUSA, asking him to consult on something. But then wouldn’t it have come through the Ministry? He quickly opened it and scanned the letter, his heart dropping. 

_Newt,_

_It’s Queenie, I saw that you’ve been writing to Tina. I know you haven’t heard back from her, and I realized that you more than likely haven’t heard. I’m sure things like this don’t make big news in London. You see, my sister has been working with the Department of Magical Creatures at MACUSA, or at least had been...in March, there was a raid to try and stop a well-known trafficker here and it didn’t go very well. There was more people than a single Auror could handle, and the group she had gone with was small to begin with. There was a fight, and at some point Tina somehow fell over and hit her head pretty badly. That’s why you haven’t been hearing from her since then. She’s alive but...she hasn’t woken up yet and nobody can tell me when she might again._

_I know you’re a very busy man half a world away, but if you could find time to come visit it would mean so much. Tina thought of you everyday, and I know she missed you. I know it’s a long journey to make to see someone who won’t be able to talk with you, but I know she’d want you here if she were awake, whether she’d admit it or not._

_I hope you consider, and I’m sorry it took me so long to tell you, but I was holding out hope that Tina would wake up before I would have to write this._

_Queenie Goldstein_


	2. Chapter 2

Queenie knew something had happened the moment she saw them: breathless, hands joined, and running from a common enemy. Their thoughts were racing quickly, with Tina’s being easier to decipher than Newt’s. She caught a few key words before it was time to stow her trio of friends in Newt’s case: death potion...swooping evil...jump...catch... _safe_. Despite only knowing him for a few hours, this was what it had come to. Newt made Tina feel safe; safe in a way that she had never felt with Queenie. 

It happened again at the Blind Pig, a brief spark of something different that Queenie had never felt in her sister’s mind before. It was a distinct mix of concern for Newt’s feelings, sympathy for him losing his beloved creature, and anger at Gnarlack for betraying them to MACUSA. Tina wasn’t the only one whose emotions ran high that evening in the speakeasy. Though Newt’s were much more subtle than Tina’s, Queenie didn’t have to read his mind to know that Newt’s breath hitched upon first seeing Tina in that gorgeous dress. He had to force himself not to look her up and down on the spot, but occasionally stole glances at her from across the table. Following their encounter with Gnarlack, Queenie realized that Newt shared many qualities with Tina: he was humble and shy, yet brave and loyal. Had her sister found the perfect match?

The last time Queenie sensed a change in Tina was when the two of them, along with Newt and Jacob, were observing Credence in his obscurial form just under the Squire’s sign. This occurred just before Newt charged head-first into battle. He presented Tina with his case, instructing her to take care of his creatures should anything happen to him. He trusted Tina after such a short time, with such an important job. He was putting Credence’s well-being before his own. As he handed her a copy of his manuscript, Tina’s thoughts came through loud and clear, _‘Don’t do this, don’t leave me.’_ Queenie heard the concern in her sister’s broken voice as she called him by his given name for the first time. But it was too late, Newt had already disapparated into the night. Without thinking, Tina handed the case and the manuscript over to Queenie and Jacob. As she disapparated after him, Queenie caught the last thought that flashed through Tina’s mind, _‘I can’t lose you too.’_ With that, her brave, selfless sister followed her brave, selfless magizoologist into the fray, not knowing what would become of them before the night was over.

Queenie knew Tina better than anyone ever would. She had seen her sister through the best and worst of times, whether it was through the death of their parents, during school at Ilvermorny, or during Tina’s Auror training and eventual assignment to MACUSA’s investigative team. Tina had always been the career-minded half of the Goldstein sisters, which left very little time for friendship, romance, and love. In Newt, Queenie sensed that Tina would find all three. It was only a matter of time. 

***

Queenie was typically able to decipher her sister’s emotions, yet as she returned from seeing Newt off at the docks Queenie wasn’t able to tell if Tina was more happy or sad. It was obvious that the older sister had been a lot happier with the man around, so it only seemed right that she would be upset at his departure. Perhaps she was just happy with her reinstatement? No matter what it was, seeing Tina happy made Queenie happy as well, despite the hurt she was feeling from having, in a way, lost Jacob. 

Tina had gotten better in blocking Queenie from being able to read her thoughts when she wanted to, but that didn’t mean that the legilimens didn’t still get glimpses inside her sisters mind. She knew that her sister was still thinking about Newt, it was obvious enough. There was no way that simply thinking of being back on the Investigative Team is what had Tina smiling and blushing all the time. Even if she couldn’t see Tina’s full thoughts, Queenie knew that her sister had already fallen for the British wizard. 

What had halfway shocked Queenie was how happy Tina seemed to be with her new assignment working with the Department of Magical Creatures. She hadn’t complained too much about the restrictions on being reinstated as an Auror, but being around the creatures seemed to boost her mood even more. Queenie suspected this was because it reminded her of Newt, but she wouldn’t pry too much. If Tina wanted to talk about it, she’d let her bring it up. 

It had been a month since Tina began working to help the Department of Magical Creatures close their open cases. Queenie was about to take a break at work when she noticed someone walking towards her, most notably his panicked thoughts. Though they weren’t spoken out loud, the legilimens heard his thoughts loud and clear. 

_‘Why do I have to be the one to tell her?’_ he was thinking, _‘I hate being the one to notify family….’_

Notify family of what? By the time he approached Queenie, she had a noticeably worried facial expression. 

“Miss Goldstein?” he started, getting a nod, “You’re Auror Goldstein’s sister, correct?” 

“What is this about? Has she gotten in trouble?” 

The next thoughts in his head were all she needed to hear, so the words that actually escaped his mouth didn’t register with her. Tina was hurt on the job and they weren’t sure if she was going to make it.

***

Queenie immediately disapparated to the local wizarding hospital, St. Laurent’s. She entered the emergency ward with her face red and streaked with tears. She hastily flagged down the first employee she could find and requested to see her sister. After what seemed like an eternity, the young healer directed Queenie to room 224. 

Whatever Queenie had expected to see behind the large wooden door, it wasn't this. She wordlessly sank into a chair beside her sister's bed, mouth open in disbelief. She turned and whispered to the healer who had led her here, “Why isn't she awake?”

“She took a very hard hit when she was pushed. We're still running some tests to try and figure out what happened and what the best method of treatment will be. The specialty healers will be making their rounds in a few hours, so they should have more information then. I'm so sorry I don't have more information for you,” the healer said sorrowfully. She placed a hand on Queenie's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. Queenie flinched at the contact, but never took her eyes from Tina's face. She mumbled a quiet “Thank you” to the healer, who turned to exit the room. 

Queenie stood and took Tina's hand in her own. It was limp and heavy. She reached out to stroke her sister’s cheek and pushed a few loose strands of dark hair away from her eyes. “Oh my Teenie, how did this happen?” Queenie whispered. She bit her lip to keep from crying more. She always knew that Tina's job was dangerous...there would always be risks. Tina had been injured before, with the worst injuries being a broken arm, bruised ribs, and cuts and scrapes. This time was different...it was so much worse. Her head was completely bandaged in white gauze, with a small circle of red seeping through just above Tina's left temple. Her arms were raw and scraped, though appeared to have been treated with Dittany. Her eyes were sunken and her was face pale, so very pale. Tina's breathing was shallow and ragged, as if the life could go out of her at any moment. 

Queenie cupped her big sister’s cheek in her palm. Tina felt so cold. “I'm here Teenie. I ain't goin’ anywhere.” Exhaustion slowly overtook Queenie and she fell asleep holding her sister’s hand, just as they had done so many times as children. 

***

Three months. It had been three months since Tina had fallen and hit her head. Three months since Queenie had heard her sisters voice or seen her smile. How has she not woken up yet? It almost didn’t seem right that after everything the Auror had been through and survived that a fall would do this to her; it wasn’t even a spell that had gotten her. Queenie tried to imagine what happened that day; tried to imagine the events that led up to her older sister nearly dying. The team that Tina had been with that day tried to fill in as many gaps as they could, but nobody seemed to know exactly what had happened. Their stories were all the same: there were more people than they thought at the warehouse, a huge fight broke out, the man they were originally trying to capture (Laris Youngblood was the name that kept coming up) had gone after Tina, and then...nobody seemed to know.

Queenie heard many different possible scenarios from those who had been there, but the only big similarity they all had was that someone - or something - had pushed Tina. This push had been what caused her injury. When she tried questioning more, nobody knew the specific event that led to it. Some had seen a blur of something in Tina’s direction before having to focus back on their own work, and some had seen nothing at all. 

And the cherry on top of it all? Laris Youngblood had managed to escape in the focus to get Tina out of there. 

Queenie sighed as she walked into her apartment that evening, just wanting to gather a few things to take with her back to the hospital where she would again be staying with Tina. She hated being in the small apartment now; it felt too empty without Tina there. When she walked into the bedroom, she glanced over at the other bed where she had been putting any mail that the older Goldstein sister received. Among the cluster of envelopes was a pile of letters sent from none other than Newt Scamander himself, yet these were opened. Every time Queenie saw a letter from him, she brought it to read to Tina, even if she couldn’t hear her. Who knew, maybe she could hear Queenie talking to her everyday. 

The younger Goldstein had noticed that the British wizard’s letters had stopped coming as frequently as they used to, and when they did come they began getting shorter. As she wondered what had caused the change, it dawned on her that Newt wasn’t getting any responses to his letters. He didn’t even know Tina was hurt. Queenie had never written back because she had been hoping Tina would wake up and be able to do it herself, but after so many months...she wasn’t sure that could happen anymore. She needed to write to Newt and tell him what had happened, so at the very least he knew that Tina wasn’t ignoring him. 

Going back into the kitchen, she began to write out: 

_Newt,_

_It’s Queenie…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let us know what you think!   
> You can also find us on tumblr if you want: hidetheteaspoons and newsalamandertina (which is oceanicflights)!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is brought to you thanks to hidetheteaspoons!

_Tina felt as light as air, as if she were dreaming. All of her senses were coming alive at once. It was overwhelming to say the least. She first saw hazy flashes of bright lights. She was unable to focus on her surroundings for more than a few seconds. Tina immediately noticed the warm and soft surface all around her. Was she in a bed? She smelled...firewood...lemon...saltwater? She would know that combination anywhere. Upon realizing who belonged to those smells, Tina slowly lifted her head, adjusted her focus, and searched for the source. Rolling over, she found Newton Artemis Fido Scamander laying beside her, watching her every move._

***

The first thing Newt did the morning after getting Queenie’s letter was run straight to his brother’s office. He was head Auror at the Ministry of Magic, surely he could get Newt more information on what happened to Tina, right? Even if Tina did work for MACUSA and not the Ministry, maybe Theseus had Auror friends in New York that he could ask. Maybe he could even help Newt get back to New York despite his travel ban. If the magizoologist was lucky, maybe Theseus could do both.

Newt burst into his Theseus’ office without hesitation. Normally he would respect his brother’s privacy, but today was an exception. Barging in on others was especially uncharacteristic of Newt; for this reason, he was certain his brother would forgive him for the urgency of the situation.

“Newton what are you-?” Theseus Scamander started, looking up quickly from his paperwork. 

“Forgive me...Theseus...but I need to...get to...America as soon as...possible…” Newt choked out, between deep breaths, gasping for air. 

“Newt,” Theseus responded, eyes narrowing at the magizoologist, “If this is about that Appa-whatta Puffskein, we’ve talk about this before.”

Newt stared at his brother, trying to slow his racing thoughts of Tina in order to form a coherent response. “You mean the Appaloosa Puffskein?” 

Theseus nodded vigorously. “No, it’s not that,” replied Newt, suddenly worried that Theseus may not be interested in helping him at all. “It’s something else.” Newt’s expression suddenly became one of worry and sadness.

“Well, what is it?” the Auror asked quietly, perceiving the sudden shift in his younger brother’s expression. 

“It’s...it’s...there’s...someone I need to get to.”

Theseus could see that whatever was happening, Newt was embarrassed, even hesitant about it. In all his years, Theseus had never seen his brother quite so worked up about something that wasn’t a magical creature, with the exception of his expulsion from Hogwarts. Even then Newt didn’t appear outwardly emotional, he just...closed himself off to the rest of the world, refusing to discuss what had happened between him and Leta.

“Newt,” he said calmly, “I need you to tell me what’s going on. The full story please, or I can’t help you.”

The younger Scamander looked Theseus directly in the eyes before taking a deep breath. Newt placed his hands on the back of a nearby chair and drew a deep breath before laying everything out in the open. “Thes,” he stated in a serious tone of voice, “If there was ever a time that I needed you to not be an arse, now is that time.” Though he was taken aback by his brother’s request, the Auror nodded his agreement. He could tell that whatever Newt was on about was important to him. “Theseus there is a woman that I met in New York. Her name is Porpentina Goldstein and she’s an Auror for MACUSA,” at this, Theseus’ eyebrows raised in surprise. Newt continued: “She is kind and intelligent and witty and she’s been hurt. I need to get to her. They...they don’t know if she’s going to make it.”

“Who is they?” Theseus asked. 

“Oh here,” Newt replied, pulling Queenie’s letter from his breast pocket and unfolding it for Theseus to read. “Her sister wrote to me about her condition. I’ve been writing Porpentina - Tina - for three months with no response until this came yesterday.” Theseus quickly scanned the letter from one Queenie Goldstein. 

Theseus looked up at Newt with concern. Newt immediately knew that he would be seeing Tina, one way or another. He could tell by the look in his brother’s eyes that Theseus was going to help him get to America. Their eyes locked and Theseus slowly nodded his head in assent. “I’ll help you Newt,” he said, rising from his seat, “If not because you’re my brother, or because I want to see you happy, then because I would eventually like to be an uncle.” Theseus continued, with a slight smile playing at his lips. Newt blushed at the implication, but kept his thoughts to himself. If he were simply able to look Tina in the eyes, watch her draw a deep breath, and see her smile again, well, then he would be the happiest man in the world.

***

It had been three days since Newt made his initial plea for assistance to his brother. Unfortunately for Newt, things at the Ministry tended to move at a glacial pace, especially if they involved the Minister of Magic, Hector Fawley. Fawley himself had been the one who blacklisted Newt from leaving the country. The day he arrived back to England following the events of New York, Newt’s wand had been confiscated and had a tracing spell placed on it. Newt himself had been interrogated for hours before even being allowed to return to his flat. He had been warned not to leave London. A week later, it was determined by the minister himself that although Newt had acted bravely when facing with the darkest wizard of his time, he and his creatures were a liability that the Ministry could not afford to deal with a second time. Therefore, a travel ban was determined to be the best course of action. Now, six months later, it was nothing more than a thorn in Newt’s side. Fortunately for him, Theseus had direct connections and a stellar platonic and working relationship with Fawley. 

Newt had been ready to return to his flat following a busy day of organizing his manuscript, responding to cases, and worrying about Tina. As he gathered his case, coat, and scarf Newt was greeted at the entrance of his office by a small gray owl that he immediately recognized as Athena, who belonged to Theseus. “Hello old girl,” Newt greeted the creature. “What do you have for me?” he murmured. Athena gracefully held her leg out to Newt and he removed a small piece of parchment bearing the initials T.S. Within the parchment, Newt found a brief note from his brother:

_Newt,_

_I have an update regarding your situation. Meet me at the Siren’s Tail tonight at 7 to discuss further._

_See you soon,  
Theseus_

Newt pocketed the note and withdrew a handful of treats for Athena, who quickly flew off to her next mission. With fifteen minutes left to get to the pub, Newt disapparated to meet Theseus. He hoped Theseus had a resolution for him. Every second he was apart from Tina, he became more and more worried that he wouldn’t get to say goodbye. 

He arrived at the Siren’s Tail with plenty of time to spare. Newt took a seat at the bar and ordered a shot of firewhisky to calm his nerves. Not long after, Theseus arrived, looking grim. He nodded towards Newt before taking a seat next to him. Theseus turned his attention to Atticus, the barkeep, “I’ll have what he’s having Atty, better make it a double.” He turned to Newt: “You’re going to need it after you hear what I have to say.”

“Please tell me they’re going to let me go?” Newt asked hopefully, though he knew full well that this was not the case.

Theseus chuckled and shook his head. “I talked with Fawley directly Newt. Lifting the ban is not an option. He practically laughed me out of his office when I brought up appealing it. However, I did find some information that may be beneficial to us.”

Newt directed his gaze at his older brother and listened with intent. Theseus lowered his voice, “It appears that your Miss Goldstein was coordinating raids with the Magical Creatures Department. As part of her trial return to MACUSA, she was tasked with closing all current case files. She was hurt in a raid gone bad. Have you heard of Laris Youngblood?”

Newt felt a shiver travel up and down his spine. Of course he had heard of Youngblood. He was the most ruthless trafficker of magical beasts that was still operating, not only in America, but around the world. “Did...did Youngblood do this to Tina?” he asked hesitantly.

“No, but Miss Goldstein and her team were approached by several of his followers. She was pushed by someone...or something. Nobody can say for certain what it was.”

“So where does all this leave me Theseus?” Newt questioned.

“I’m glad you asked brother. It appears that with Miss Goldstein out of commission for the time being, MACUSA is in need of someone to take her place until she is well. Though what I wrote to Seraphina Picquery was that the Ministry was sending its top magizoologist to offer assistance, whether it was required or not. Newt, Fawley approved this but I should warn you that you are under my authority for this ‘mission’. I understand that this is less than desirable, but it was the only way that Fawley would consent to letting you leave England. He cares about international diplomacy more than he does about you and your creatures. I do expect frequent updates from you, and I expect that when you are not with Miss Goldstein, you will truly work to close some of MACUSA’s cases. There are a few you might find interesting.”

Newt was dumbfounded. He could hardly believe that he was going to see Tina again… _‘hang on for me love’_ , he thought. Theseus was right, Newt did not like this situation at all, but if was what needed to be done in order for him to see Tina again, then so be it. There was absolutely no question of whether or not Newt would accept these duties, rather a question of WHEN he could leave and begin working in America. Newt quickly downed another shot of firewhisky that burned all the way down his chest. He turned to face his brother with his arms slightly open, leaning towards Theseus to initiate a hug. Theseus was taken aback. He could count on one hand the times that his brother initiated such an intimate gesture; let alone, he could not recall the last time it had occurred. Theseus held on tight as they leaned into each other. “Thank you,” Newt whispered quietly, “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he said, his eyes brimming with tears. 

“You leave in two days time via portkey,” Theseus stated, matter-of-factly. Newt nodded and withdrew several galleons to cover their firewhisky and then some. “The least I could do,” he said, giving his brother a slight smile. “I need to make arrangements for the creatures, so I best be heading home. Thank you again Theseus.”

Theseus nodded in acknowledgment, and the younger Scamander disapparated back to his flat. It was only a matter of time before he would be in the same city as the feisty young Auror who unknowingly owned his heart.

***

_“Hi?” Tina murmured softly, searching Newt’s face for a reaction._

_“Good morning love,” Newt responded, nuzzling his nose into her hair. “How did you sleep?”_

_“I...I'm not sure actually...” Tina hesitated, pulling slightly away from Newt._

_Newt gave her a concerned look, which caused Tina to immediately place a reassuring hand on his arm. “No I’m sorry, I'm fine. I just have a bit of headache.”_

_“What can I do?” Newt asked, cradling her ever-growing belly in his palm. Tina’s gaze followed his hand to her stomach, where she was surprised to see a moderately-sized bump beneath her camisole. Is that…?_

_“Tina?”_

_“Hm?” Her head quickly snapped up to look at Newt._

_“I asked if there’s anything I can do to help you. Are you sure you’re alright? You don’t seem like yourself. Do you need a potion for your headache?”_

_“I um...I think I just need to rest a little longer.”_

_“Alright then,” Newt consented. “I’ll see to the case and then make us some breakfast. Shall I wake you up when it’s ready?”_

_“That’d be lovely,” Tina sighed in response. Newt followed with a sweet kiss, first to her belly, then to her forehead. She closed her eyes when his warm lips touched her skin. This time, she didn’t pull away. She wanted to savor the feeling. Newt quickly dressed to care for his creatures. Tina’s gaze followed him to the door to their bedroom, where he flashed her a beaming grin before setting off for the menagerie. Tina smiled to herself and found that her hand had gravitated towards her midsection without even realizing it. She was carrying his baby. THEIR baby._ ‘What strange and wonderful world is this?’ _she thought, as she closed her eyes and attempted to fall back to sleep._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave us a comment and tell us what you think! Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is brought to you thanks to oceanicflights!

It had been two days since Newt had been told he would be going to America working under Theseus, and he was more than ready to finally be on his way there. In a few hours, he would take a portkey to MACUSA, where he would check in with the Magical Creatures Department before making his way to the hospital Tina was at. Newt had sent a letter to Queenie telling her that he would be making his way to New York, yet he had a feeling she might not see it before he arrived. As for his creatures, he had found someone he trusted to watch over the ones he didn’t want to risk taking back to New York, though he still wanted to keep some with him in his case. 

Time seemed to pass slower than usual that day, especially as Newt had nothing to do but wait; he had already finished all the preparations needed for his journey. He had been pacing nervously around his flat when he finally decided to make sure that he had everything he would need, then checked on the creatures both in the basement and in his case. Seeing that he still had time to spare before he needed to be at the Ministry, he proceeded to say his goodbyes to the creatures that would be remaining in London. He then disapparated to the Ministry a bit earlier than he had originally planned. 

When Newt arrived at the Ministry, he went to his brother’s office and knocked this time before entering. 

“Ah, Newt.” Theseus said when the magizoologist walked in, “You’re early. Did you have any questions about your assignment? I know you’re eager to get to America, but you know that you have to wait until the designated time.” 

“How long will I be able to stay in New York?” he had genuinely been wondering this, “You never told me.” 

“As long as Miss Goldstein is unable to work, or until all the cases assigned to you have been closed. Though I would suggest you not take that as a reason to purposefully delay working on cases; I’m sure they can find more beast-related work for you to do if it comes down to it.” 

The magizoologist nodded, thinking. “Theoretically, if Tina were to get better and return to work, how soon would I have to return to London?” 

“We’ll figure that out if it comes to it, but Newt...it’s been three months since her accident. I wouldn’t get my hopes up in thinking that she might recover soon.” Theseus didn’t want to be pessimistic, but he didn’t want his little brother to be even more heartbroken than he already would be if the woman didn’t wake up. “I haven’t talked to the healers of course, but I would assume that every day she shows no improvement it only brings her chances of recovery down more.” 

Newt didn’t acknowledge the comment his brother had made--he didn’t want to think about the possibility that Tina might not ever recover. Someone had to have hope that she would be alright, and it seemed nobody else did. Even Queenie had said in her letter that she had waited to write to Newt because she had been hoping for Tina to wake up first, did that mean that even Queenie was starting to believe Tina might not recover? 

***

Eventually, the time had finally come for Newt to take the portkey to New York. Theseus wished him luck as he saw him off, and soon enough Newt was standing in the Magical Creatures Department at MACUSA. A young wizard quickly approached him, “Mr. Scamander?” he asked, getting a nod in response. “This way.” 

He was led to a small office where he was then introduced to those he would be working with, most of whom kept asking questions about his book. While he was glad that people had been reading his work and wanting to know more about it, he was eager to leave and find his way to a certain female Auror. 

Newt was more than ready to get to St. Laurent’s and sit by Tina’s side, even if she wouldn’t be aware that he was there. At least if her condition did take a turn for the worse, he would get to see her one last time. When he finally got the chance to make his way out of MACUSA, it occurred to him that he didn’t know where he could find St. Laurents. He only knew the name of it because Theseus had been told where Tina was being treated. He looked around for someone he could ask to point him in the right direction when he saw a familiar bob of blonde hair making it’s way towards him. 

“Newt!” Queenie exclaimed, hastily walking up to him, “You came! You got here a bit quicker than I thought you would...you did get my letter, didn’t you? You hadn’t already been on your way?” 

“I did, but I suppose my reply hasn’t gotten here yet. I do appreciate you telling me what happened, truly.” he gave a small smile, feeling it the right thing to do, “I was able to get here by portkey, I’m technically here to help MACUSA close the rest of their cases involving magical creatures. It’s the only way they’d let me leave the country.” 

The legilimens nodded, “Do you need to be getting to work, then? If you...if you want to visit Teenie, I can come back later to show you where she is.” she tried to hide the crack in her voice as she mentioned her sister. 

“I was actually just about to try and find my way there now, if you’re not busy?” 

“I’m on my way now.” They walked in silence at first until Queenie decided to break it, “How long have you been back?” 

“I just arrived a little bit ago, I had to let MACUSA know I’d arrived before going off anywhere else.” Newt paused, “So it’s been three months since Tina went on that raid?” 

Queenie again nodded, and Newt could see the sadness in her eyes, “I was at work when I found out. Teenie was doing really well with her assignment closing all those cases involving creatures, you know? I don’t suppose she ever told you about it, did she?” Newt shook his head, “I told her that she should, but she didn’t want to sound like she was bragging.” 

“So she had been working around creatures for a while, then? I heard she got pushed and hit her head, was it a creature who pushed her? Surely someone would’ve seen a creature big enough to push her that hard.” 

Now she shook her head, “I wish I knew. I’ve tried asking all those people she was with when it happened, but none of them saw anything. There was too much going on, they said. It took them a minute to even realize she was hurt. Not that realizing sooner would’ve made much of a difference, but I don’t wanna think of what could’ve happened if they hadn’t found her when they did…” 

Queenie led Newt into St. Laurents, and he saw her nodding at some of the healers as she began to lead him down different hallways. The younger Goldstein had obviously been spending a lot of time here. 

“She’s in room 224.” Queenie told him as they walked along, “Has been since it happened. I have befriended a bit of the staff here as I’m here so often…” she answered his thoughts. “Yes, they’re all kind to Teenie even though we’re not sure she can hear us or not.” 

Newt tried to keep his thoughts away from his true feelings for Tina as they approached room 224, knowing that Queenie would probably hear those thoughts clear as day if they wandered into his mind now. Opening the door for Queenie, he took a deep breath before he stepped inside. 

***

_Tina opened her eyes when she heard Newt reenter the bedroom. Had she fallen back asleep? She didn’t know. It seemed as if he had just walked out of the room...surely he hadn’t finished tending to the creatures and had time to make any sort of breakfast yet._

_“Are you feeling any better?” Newt asked, sitting down next to her. “I didn’t want to wake you, but I do think you should eat something. It might help if you’re still not feeling well.” As he said this, Tina registered the pain that was again coming from her left temple. It was a strange headache, not like one she’d ever had before._

_“My head is still hurting a bit,” she replied, “I don’t suppose staying in bed any longer is going to help it if it hasn’t already. Have you already cooked?”_

_Newt nodded, and Tina wondered how much time had passed since she had first woken up. When she got up to follow Newt into the kitchen, she glanced around trying to remember the small flat they seemed to be in. Where were they, exactly? Leaving the bedroom, she tried to steal glances at the pictures on the wall._

_She stopped in front of one, trying her best to remember when it could’ve possibly been taken. It was her and Newt, him being in a nice suit and her in a white dress. Glancing down at her left hand, she was slightly taken aback to see what appeared to be a wedding band. A sudden, brief burst of a memory flashed in her head of a wedding ceremony...had it been theirs? When had they gotten married? Tina wished she could remember, but all the details of her life seemed to have vanished from her mind. She hadn’t heard Newt walk up behind her, and jumped a bit when he wrapped his arms around her waist._

_“Are you sure you’re alright, love?” he asked, the concern obvious in his voice. “You seem...off.”_

_She gave him a small smile, “I’m sure.” Tina still tried to remember when they even got together, or when they would’ve had time to get married and conceive a child. Hadn’t they only known each other for a few months?_

_As the day went on, Tina felt silly at having forgotten about her marriage. The day seemed to go by in the blink of an eye, but by the time Newt had gone to tend to the creatures all the memories she thought she had lost were back in her head. As she watched him go through the different enclosures, she thought back through them all._

_Yes, of course they were married. Newt had come back to give her a copy of his book, they had their first kiss before he had to leave again...they kept in touch, though Newt seemed to be in America more often than not, and then Newt had proposed. She remembered their wedding, and agreeing to move to London, finding out she was carrying their child...how could she have possibly forgotten? But even as she now remembered it all, something still felt off to Tina. For a moment, she even wondered if this was all real. But it had to be real, didn’t it? There was no way she had made all of this up...right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let us know what you think! 
> 
> Find us on tumblr if you want, hidetheteaspoons at the same name, and oceanflights at newsalamandertina!


	5. Chapter 5

It was the first time in six months that Newt Scamander had seen Tina Goldstein, and if he didn’t know any better he would’ve guessed she was simply asleep. But he knew that it wasn’t that simple. 

Logically he knew that he shouldn’t have expected her to be covered in cuts or bandages; any lacerations would’ve healed in the three months that had passed since her injury, yet he had expected there to be something to indicate her condition. The only thing Newt saw that pointed towards what had happened to Tina was a faint mark above her left temple, but it seemed even that was beginning to fade. 

“The healers said everything is all healed up, so they don’t know why she won’t wake up.” Queenie said, already knowing what Newt was thinking. “Said if she does wake up it could happen at any time. Course they’ve been saying that this whole time. ‘She could wake up any day, just have hope.’ I do hope she’ll come back to us...but I was wondering if I’m just trying to avoid what’s inevitable,” her voice cracked a bit. 

Newt was at a loss for words. He had been preparing himself for when he’d first see her like this, but it still hurt. It all seemed so real to him now; this wasn’t a fabricated story to somehow get him back to New York, it wasn’t some prank...Tina was actually seriously injured and hadn’t woken up for over three months now. Queenie offered to let him take the seat next to the bed, where he hesitated before reaching out to take Tina’s hand. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed by the time he finally stood up and let Queenie take his place. 

“Do you have a place to stay?” Queenie asked later that night as they made their leave. 

“I believe MACUSA was going to arrange accommodations for me, but I didn’t ask while I was there. My mind was focused elsewhere…” 

“You can stay in the apartment if you want.” she offered, “It’s been real lonely...sometimes I end up just staying with Teenie at night.”

“That would be lovely, though I wouldn’t want to burden you—”

Queenie dismissed him with a wave, “Don’t be silly. Besides, we could both use the company.” Newt didn’t argue with this and followed her back to the apartment he had stayed in with them last December. 

They made dinner and ate, making small talk as they did so. Newt thought about asking about Jacob, but decided against it. Of course Queenie had still heard the question, though it had never been asked. 

“He was able to open his bakery, you know? I think Teenie mentioned it in a letter,” the legilimens said, “I go see him every now and again, but with Teen how she is...I haven’t seen him much recently. Last time I went he asked if everything was alright since I hadn’t been by as much, and I broke down and told him about how my sister was hurt. I swear he seemed to remember her, knew her name and everything. Maybe I said it before, but it just…” she shook her head, not wanting to continue. Newt left it at that, not wanting to push her to talk about something that would obviously upset her. She had been through enough recently. 

Newt had opted to sleep in his case that night, not feeling right taking Tina’s bed. Come morning, both he and Queenie made their way to work together. Newt wasn’t able to leave MACUSA at the same time the younger Goldstein was in the evening, so he would meet her at St. Laurent’s to visit Tina for a few hours before making their way back to the apartment. As he had only been allowed to come to America under the pretense that he help close cases with the Magical Creatures Department, he did genuinely work with them. More days passed, turning into weeks, and he was able to close a fair amount of the cases. He was secretly glad when he noticed a few more cases make their way to his work load; as long as there were cases for him to work on, he could remain in New York. 

***

_Her due date was arriving quickly, and Tina was growing more and more uncomfortable as time passed. Gone were the days when she could see her feet and button up her Auror coat. Her body was no longer hers, but belonged completely to the little witch or wizard that was due to make their appearance within the next month. Tina had insisted on delivering their “Little Mooncalf”, as Newt had fondly been referring to her stomach, in the comfort and privacy of their own home. When the day arrived, a healer was to come assist with the delivery. Though Newt was highly experienced with the delivery of small creatures, he preferred to leave the care of their child in the hands of someone who would also be able to tend to his wife’s medical needs. Tina couldn’t very well argue with that decision._

_The day of Tina’s due date began as so many before it had. Newt awoke before Tina and left to take care of morning rounds with the creatures. He would start a cup of coffee for her so the smell would entice her out of bed. Tina would bathe and dress as best as she could, these days opting for short showers and long, flowing dresses. Some mornings, Tina would help Newt with the creatures if she was feeling up to it. Other times, she would sit in a rocking chair in the nursery and read aloud to her little one. She noticed that the baby was most active when she read about the dragons described in her husband’s infamous guide to magical creatures. As the day drew to a close, Tina was eager to join her husband in bed and get some much needed rest. She wasn’t worried that the baby had not yet arrived. If their child was as stubborn as the Goldstein women and Scamander men, it was going to stay put until it was good and ready._

_Over the course of the next few days, Tina became more and more agitated that the baby was taking its sweet time entering the world. She had experienced nothing more than a few mild contractions as the days continued. Newt was beginning to pick up on his wife’s frustration, and offered for her to spend the day with him and the creatures down in his case. She readily accepted the distraction and relished the fact that she would be able to spend some one-on-one time with their other “children”. Newt had conjured a comfortable bed for her to relax on just outside the shed, where he could keep an eye on her as he worked._

_As Tina laid on the bed, she noticed that one-by-one, the creatures began to approach her, though somewhat cautiously at first. Pickett had settled himself on her shoulder, while the Niffler had snuggled up into her lap. Dougal was not far off and sat at the end of the bed, munching away on an apple. He had brought one over for Tina as well, which had made her laugh. They seemed to sense that a change was coming within the Scamander family. It wasn’t long before Tina’s eyes began to close. She felt her body relax and everything went dark, as if she were falling...but something pulled her back. Tina opened her eyes and quickly snapped her head up when she felt it. Something warm...wet...sticky?_

_She gasped when she saw it. Startled by the sound, Newt quickly looked to his wife and saw what had scared her...the bedding surrounding lower half of her body was stained with sanguine liquid. Their eyes locked and they were frozen in time for a fraction of second before springing into action. With a flip of his wand and the quick uttering of a spell, Newt sent his patronus off for a healer. There was no time to waste. The baby was coming and both Tina and their unborn child were in immediate danger._

*** 

Queenie arrived at the hospital not long after her shift at MACUSA had ended. As usual, the healers had no new information for her regarding Tina’s condition. It had become a routine for Queenie, like clockwork. Each evening she arrived, spoke with the healers, and spent an hour or two with her sister until Newt arrived for the remainder of the evening. Queenie would then leave Newt to have some quiet time with Tina while she stretched her legs and grabbed a bite to eat. She and Newt would then say goodbye together and head back to the apartment.

Newt arrived promptly at 7:00 following a particularly difficult day at MACUSA. He wanted nothing more than to see Tina and talk to her about all of the cases she was missing out on...all of the cases they could have been solving together. He gently opened the door to room 224 and found Queenie in her usual spot, sitting in the chair beside Tina’s bed. He nodded his greeting to Queenie as he entered the room, but his eyes were focused solely on Tina. 

“Any change?” he asked, shifting his gaze to Queenie.

She sadly shook her head in response and Newt looked away quickly, fighting back tears. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “I’ll sit for a bit, if you don’t mind,” he said to the legilimens. It wasn’t a question at this point, rather, an acknowledged routine. 

As Queenie left the room, she watched as Newt settled in the chair she had just vacated. He gingerly lifted Tina's hand into his own and intertwined their fingers. Queenie bit her lip gently and closed the door behind her. Her face was wet with tears, but she hastily wiped them away with her sleeve and made her way to the coffee shop outside the hospital. 

Meanwhile, Newt held Tina's soft, cool hand in his own. He gingerly laid his forehead on the edge of her bed. He took in the smells around him: antiseptic, soap, cotton. None of these smells belonged to Tina. He missed her smell, a distinct mix of cocoa, cherry, and talcum powder. The scent of the hospital overwhelmed him and before he knew it, Newt had fallen asleep at Tina's bedside. He remained this way for some time before he was roused by a sound, and a motion. Something had changed. Something was different...then he heard it.

_Newt rushed to Tina's side, where she remained frozen in fear. She grabbed her husband's hand and squeezed it tightly. The warmth around the lower half of her body was expanding and the pain in her belly felt like a dagger. She grabbed hold of Newt's shirt as a contraction rocketed through her abdomen. Tina let out a cry as she resisted the urge to push._

_“I've sent for a healer love, they'll be here any minute,” Newt told her calmly, and she nodded as the pain from her contraction subsided. Tina knew something wasn't right as her breathing grew faster and more shallow. It became difficult to breathe and to talk as she went through contraction after contraction._

Tina's breathing had changed. Newt sat up straight, thinking his mind was playing tricks on him. He remained quiet for several seconds and watched her chest rise and fall slowly before it happened again. He heard a gasp as Tina inhaled deeply and audibly exhaled. Newt couldn't believe his eyes and ears. Was Tina waking up, or was this a normal biological response? Almost as if she were responding to his question, her breathing became much more rapid and Newt was sure of it...Tina Goldstein was waking up.

_After what felt like an eternity, a healer finally arrived. She set to work getting Tina prepared for delivery, while Newt remained at his wife’s side, holding her hand and talking her gently through the contractions. She was pale and weak and had lost quite a bit of blood; the healer insisted that once Tina gave birth, both she in the child would need to be taken to St. Mungo’s for further examination. The healer handed Newt a potion and directed him to help Tina drink it. Newt recognized it at once; it was for pain relief. Though she had difficulty speaking, Tina expressed her gratitude for the potion by bringing Newt’s hand to her cheek and closing her eyes. In that moment, Tina knew that no matter what happened to her, their baby would be just fine. It was time. “Come on Tina, I’m here. I’ve got you,” she heard Newt whisper in her ear before she began to push with all her might._

“Come on Tina, I’m here.” Newt whispered as Tina’s breathing continued to become more and more rapid. “I’ve got you,” he said as he squeezed her hand, nearly pleading for the woman before him to open her eyes. That’s when Newt felt it: a twitch, a flicker of a movement at their joined hands. He watched, patiently waiting for Tina to replicate the movement. After a few moments, she did it again. Her left thumb had gently, unknowingly, caressed the back of his hand. Her body was slowly regaining function; it was only a matter of time. 

_No amount of pushing seemed to make the newest Scamander want to join the outside world. Tina was growing tired and weak as she tried to focus on the sound of Newt’s voice. Though she was no longer in pain, she was tired and ready to sleep. Her eyes kept fluttering shut, beckoning her into oblivion. Only when she heard Newt whisper in her ear was she roused back to the present: “Just a little bit more love, Little Mooncalf is almost here.” She smiled slightly at his term of affection for their baby. “Can’t wait.” she managed to respond, in between ragged breaths, “So tired.” Newt responded by placing a gentle kiss on her forehead and squeezing her hand. The healer finally indicated that it was time for the last push. Tina gathered all of her remaining strength and felt a sudden emptiness inside of her. She had finished her job and felt herself slipping into darkness. All of her senses were dulled, but the one thing she heard before exhaustion overtook her was her husband’s voice: “Come back to me Tina.”_

Newt waited with anticipation as he felt each of Tina’s fingers moving within his firm grasp until she fully squeezed his hand. She was nearly there, almost ready to face the world she had been absent from for the past few months. Newt’s gaze darted to her eyes when he noticed a small, but significant flutter of her lashes. In a low tone of voice, he pleaded for her return, “Come back to me Tina.” Newt waited with baited breath. Her eyes fluttered once more before slowly opening to reveal those dark brown salamander eyes that he loved so much. Her eyes were dull, lacking their usual fire and spark. She turned to face him and her brow furrowed, her gaze falling to their joined hands. She immediately pulled her hand away from his. Newt was taken aback by this, but didn’t resist. “Tina?” he questioned in disbelief, unsure of what she was thinking. He noticed that she seemed to be trying to say something, but was struggling to do so. After a minute, she was able to get the words out in a raspy voice, Newt being unprepared for the question that Porpentina Goldstein had for him:

“Who are you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, leave us a comment letting us know what you think of this chapter, or even your predictions of what will happen next! We love getting feedback from you guys!


	6. Chapter 6

_After a minute, she was able to get the words out in a raspy voice, Newt being unprepared for the question that Porpentina Goldstein had for him:_

_“Who are you?”_

Tina glanced around the room, feeling a mix of confusion and fear at her unfamiliar surroundings. _‘Where am I?’_ she thought, noticing the man at her side. She recognized him, yet at the same time he seemed so...unfamiliar. Did she know him? Was he...holding her hand? Tina pulled her hand away from him and tried to speak. It was then that she noticed how dry her mouth was and how much her throat hurt. What had happened to her? After a brief struggle with the pain in her throat, she was finally able to ask the question she had. He looked...upset? 

“I’ll go get your sister.” he said after a second, standing up. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead turned and left the room. Tina looked around the room again, not understanding what was happening. She tried to remember what happened, how she had gotten to what appeared to be the hospital, but couldn’t. A minute later a familiar face come through the door, and Tina noticed Queenie was crying. 

“Teenie?” Queenie said, slowly walking towards the bed, “You…” her voice cracked, “You woke up!” 

Still struggling to talk, Tina responded: “Queenie? What happened…? Why’re you crying?” Before she could get an answer, healers made their way into the room and ushered Queenie away from the bed so they could examine their patient. 

“Can you tell us your name?” One of the healers questioned, checking the healed wound on her head. 

“Porpentina Goldstein. Can someone tell me what happened?”

“Can you tell me what the last thing you remember is?” the healer asked, not answering Tina’s question. Tina again tried to remember what had happened, yet was still having no luck. She remembered having creatures around her, there were people, she felt pain…had she been in Newt’s case? A memory flashed in her mind...was it a memory? It felt so...distant. She had been in the case, laying in a bed...there had been something wet. With the next thing that came to mind came a sudden feeling of guilt and an understanding of why the man who had been with her seemed hurt she hadn’t recognized him. 

“It’s alright, think about it and we’ll come back by later and see if you can remember then. Don’t stress yourself out trying to remember, though.” the healer gave her a smile before Tina could say anything, and they made their way out, leaving Tina alone with Queenie again. 

Queenie took her spot next to her sister, her eyes still glistening with tears though none were falling now. “Welcome back.” 

“Newt...he isn’t upset with me, is he? I didn’t recognize him at first…” Tina felt the need to apologize to him as soon as possible.

“Oh honey, he understands. It’s been rough on him, on all of us. He’s extremely happy that you’ve woken up.” 

“I still pulled away from my own husband and asked who he was. He didn’t leave did he? Can you tell him to come back in here?” 

Queenie paused, staring at her sister in confusion but not yet asking about what she had just said. Did she mishear, or did Tina just call Newt her husband? In this moment, the legilimens was glad that Tina wasn’t able to block her from seeing her thoughts due to her weak state. No...Tina definitely had it in her mind that she was married and...no, that couldn’t be right. Tina’s thoughts were everywhere at the moment and a bit foggy, surely that wasn’t right. 

“Queenie?” Tina got her attention again, “Is everything okay? You look concerned.” her facial expression now turned more concerned and her thoughts started going even faster than before, to the point Queenie couldn’t keep track, especially with her own thoughts moving quickly. 

“You want me to go get Newt?” the younger Goldstein now said, getting a nod in response. She slowly stood up and walked towards the door, trying to decide what to do. Tina had called Newt her husband and genuinely believed it to be true, but there was no way that they were. There was no possible way that Tina, or even Newt for that matter, could’ve kept that from her. What was going on? 

She found Newt pacing not far from room 224, but not daring to get too close to it. Newt glanced nervously at Queenie, not quite making eye contact, “How is she?” he asked quietly. 

“Married, apparently.” Queenie responded. 

“I’m sorry?” Newt asked in confusion. 

“She thinks she's married Newt. To you. She called you her husband after you left the room.”

Newt could feel a faint flush overtaking his face as he attempted to formulate a response to this revelation. “I...I don’t...what...why does she think that?” 

“There’s no telling what kind of damage she took from the accident, but I could hear her thoughts clear as day. There’s absolutely no doubt in her mind, she thinks the two of you are married.” the legilimens informed him. “Do you want to go in?” Queenie asked, gesturing towards the door.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. If she’s confused about who I am, she may not need me around her right now. She might need...time…” Newt’s thoughts trailed off. 

“She’s afraid that you left her. I think if you do truly leave, she might just break. She’s in a very fragile state right now. I think you should at least check on her, reassure her that everything’s going to be alright.” Queenie encouraged.

“What do I say to her?”

Queenie thought for a moment before responding. “I hate to ask you to do this Newt, but I think it would be best if you let her think that the two of you are married for right now. Who knows? Maybe by tomorrow she’ll forget that this conversation even took place. She’s awfully weak and tired. She couldn’t even use her occlumency to keep me out of her thoughts.”

Newt looked directly at the youngest Goldstein sister. He was surprised at her suggestion. He didn’t know if he could bring himself to lie to the woman he cared so much for, especially about such a topic as this. Marriage? He never expected himself to be married, nor did he often entertain the thought of it. Love, romance, family...these ideals were never in the forefront of his mind. These were things that his brother sought, but Newt? He was a simple man with a love for traveling, writing, and magical creatures. He never expected that one day, he might feel this way about the most magical creature of them all: Porpentina Goldstein. With a sigh, he slowly nodded his head before gazing past Queenie at Tina’s partially opened hospital room door. He resigned to the fact that he needed to be there for Tina. He had come all this way and was certainly not ready to leave her; she’d just woken up after all. It didn’t matter who she thought he was: a stranger, a friend, a lover - as long as he was with her.

“Alright. I will go along with whatever she thinks is happening for now, but the moment she starts to put the pieces of her life before the accident back together, we will need to be honest with her.”

“Of course,” Queenie agreed, “We shouldn’t confuse her more when she does remember. I just want her to feel comfortable and recover smoothly. If going along with what she currently believes to be the truth is what we need to do for that to happen than I’ll do it. Are you ready to go back in now?”

“I suppose I am.” Newt said, as he took a step towards Tina’s room. He gently opened the door to find Tina sitting propped up with several pillows behind her head. She turned towards him and a light smile touched her tired face. 

“Hello there.” Newt said quietly, approaching her bedside. It was still difficult for Tina to talk, but she managed to whisper back to Newt, “Hi, I was afraid you’d left.”

Newt immediately shook his head in an effort to dispel her fears, “No, I just thought that Queenie should be with you first. You must have had a lot of questions.”

Tina’s brow furrowed and she looked confused for a moment, “I do have one question. Where is the baby?”

Newt gazed at Tina as he processed her question. His mind went into overdrive as he attempted to formulate an answer. By the time he did so, he was unable to express himself clearly: “What do you mean Tina?” he asked, while attempting to calm his racing thoughts.

Tina looked quickly up at Newt and brought a hand to rest on her stomach. “Our baby? Where’s our baby?”

“T-Tina we...we don’t have a baby. There is no baby.” Newt responded. He had told Queenie he would go along with whatever Tina believed, but this...he couldn’t go along with pretending they had a baby. Even if this upset Tina, wouldn’t she be more upset if he told her they did have a child, but she couldn’t see it? There was going to be no easy way out of this that Newt could see, so being honest about this subject seemed to be his best option. 

Tina’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. She had remembered it all so clearly, or so she thought. Newt was with her and so was the healer. She had a significant bump at her abdomen and there had been pushing, and pain, and then nothing. Had she dreamed the whole thing? Had she really imagined giving birth to their son or daughter? Tina was confused at feeling the loss of something that had never existed in the first place. She felt her eyes well up with tears and her throat begin to close up. She couldn’t breathe. It felt like drowning. 

Newt immediately rushed to her side and reached for her hand. As she began to sob uncontrollably, she tried to sit up in order to get a deeper breath in. Newt understood what she was trying to do and remained beside her, steadying her back as he gently pushed her forward. Relief came when Tina’s lungs finally allowed her to obtain the oxygen she so desperately needed. Newt sat on the edge of her hospital bed, holding her hand and grasping her shoulder in order to help her remain sitting up straight. It wasn’t long before weakness overtook her and she collapsed into him; she fell forward and immediately rested her head on his shoulder. He hesitantly placed his arm around her, with his hand rubbing soothing circles over her lower back. Her shoulders continued to move up and down as she quietly cried for the child they never had.

After a few moments, Newt began to relax and pulled Tina closer to him. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, as he brought a hand to her hair. “Shhh Tina, everything’s alright.” he whispered soothingly, as her sobbing subsided. He could feel her hot, wet tears on his neck, but he didn’t care. The woman he had grown to care deeply for was in his arms and though she was upset, he was there to comfort her, and that was all that mattered. As they embraced, Newt noticed that Tina’s breathing had slowed significantly and her eyes were closed. Thinking she was asleep, he attempted to remove himself from her grasp; however, her eyes quickly opened when she felt the absence of his hand hands on her back and in her hair. 

“Where are you going?” she asked, looking at him with red, watery eyes.

“I thought you were asleep. I was going to have Queenie come and sit with you for a while.” 

“Please don’t leave Newt.” she pleaded. 

“Are you sure? It might be better if Queenie stays with you tonight.”

“I love Queenie, but I want you to be here with me right now. Please?” Tina shifted over to make room for Newt in the bed and hesitantly patted the space beside her. “I just want you to hold me for a little while.” 

Newt was so very weak for this woman. She could ask him to get her the moon and he would die trying. He finally nodded his head in assent and slipped out of his teal blue jacket, shoes, and bowtie. He gingerly crawled into the bed beside her and laid his head down on the pillow. She was facing him, eyelids fluttering sleepily. She reached for his hands and grasped them tightly. Newt, feeling comfortable and uncharacteristically bold, leaned towards her and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Her eyes once again fluttered open and the corners of lips turned into a slight smile before she finally sighed and drifted off to sleep. It wasn’t long before Newt’s eyes grew heavy with exhaustion. The last thing he thought before falling asleep was how lucky he was to have a woman such as Tina in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave us a comment letting us know what you think!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was mostly written by hidetheteaspoons.

When Newt awoke, he was surprised by his surroundings. He blinked slowly as he took in the stark white light of the hospital room. At that moment, it all came rushing back to him in a flood of memories and emotions of the last twenty-four hours. Tina was awake. She was in his arms, as if she had always belonged here. Newt gently raised his head from the pillow to get a better look at her. She had shifted during the night and was now facing away from him, curled up against him like an occamy. He peered over her shoulder to see if she was awake. Maybe if Tina’s eyes were closed, he could just lay here with her for a few...more…

Newt’s thoughts were interrupted by a quick series of knocks on the door of the hospital room. Suddenly wide awake, Newt scrambled to vacate his side of the bed before whoever was at the door caught him in a compromising position, but he wasn’t quick enough. As the door opened, he was first greeted by a rather unnecessarily large bouquet of flowers, followed by the face of a tall, dark-haired man. 

The man seemed surprised to see Newt and quickly took in the scene before him: an empty space on the bed beside Tina, a man with rumpled hair and wrinkled clothes, and a guilty look on his face. He took a step forward and slowly reached for his wand, “Who are you?” the man asked, firmly, but quietly so as not to wake Tina.

Newt gave the man a lopsided smile and responded, “Newt Scamander, and you are?” 

“Achilles Tolliver,” a tired voice spoke from somewhere beside the two men. Even though she was not completely awake, Tina was well aware of the man who had entered her room and she wanted nothing more than for him to leave. She rolled over to face the men, one ready to strike and the other standing his ground. 

Newt looked back and forth between Tina and Achilles, wondering what the connection was between the two of them. His question was answered before he could even open his mouth to ask. “He’s a coworker,” said Tina as she instinctively reached for Newt’s hand to squeeze it. Looking him in the eye, she clarified further, “A junior Auror. He was in training with me.”

The man in question directed his attention to Tina. “I heard you were awake Tina, and Picquery suggested that I come check on you, but...I see that you’ve been...well taken care of…” he trailed, as his eyes gazed at the empty spot on the bed beside Tina. She blushed at the implication and slowly nodded her head, “I’m doing fine Achilles, thank you for checking on me, but that really wasn’t necessary. While you’re here, I see that you’ve met my husband Newt?”

Newt swallowed hard and turned from Tina to Achilles, whose eyes grew wide with surprise. “You...you’re married? The two of you are married?” he asked, looking to Newt for an answer. Before he could nod, Tina snapped, “Yes, we _are_ married,” she said firmly, glaring at Achilles.

Achilles set down his grand bouquet on a nearby table before taking as step towards Newt. He was tight-lipped and his eyes were full of fire. “When did this happen?” he asked gruffly, not taking his eyes off the magizoologist. “I must’ve missed the announcement.”

“Last year,” Newt responded immediately, before Tina had time to think about it. He felt as if Achilles could see right through him, but he stood his ground, not taking his gaze from the man’s face. 

“Where are your rings?” Achilles sneered. 

Tina instinctively looked towards her bare left hand, _‘Where ARE our rings?’_ she thought, not having an answer for the other Auror. 

“They had to take Tina’s off when she was admitted,” Newt answered, thinking quickly. “I took mine off so nothing would happen to it while I was dealing with the creatures, must’ve forgotten to put it back on when I went to make my way here yesterday,” he said, before realizing this man obviously didn’t know who he was. “I’ve been assisting the Beasts Division at MACUSA,” was the quick explanation he gave. 

Newt could plainly see that Achilles wasn’t satisfied. Like a dog with a bone, he was not going to let this go easily. He was clearly suspicious of Newt and overprotective of Tina...for some reason…

As Achilles made to take another step towards the magizoologist, a sharp admonishment cut through the silence as the younger Goldstein sister entered the room. “Achilles!” cried Queenie. “I’m sure that my sister and her husband have had more than enough of your interrogations this morning. That’s enough questions. You can take ‘em and shove ‘em up your-”

“QUEENIE!” Tina interjected harshly. 

At that moment, a healer entered the room to see what had caused all the ruckus. She ushered Tina’s guests out of the room, as it was time for her morning medicine and monitoring. 

Newt quickly squeezed Tina’s hand and silently pulled away, dreading whatever confrontation he was about to face outside of her hospital room door. As he left the room, he found Queenie and Achilles arguing in hushed tones. 

Achilles quickly looked up as Newt wandered towards the pair, a frown on his face and a look of hatred for the magizoologist in his eyes. “Who is he and what is he doing here Queenie?” the Auror demanded to know. 

“None of your business, that’s who Achilles! You lost all rights to Tina’s private life when you abandoned her on that mission last year!” Queenie immediately covered her mouth with her hand, as if she had said too much. Quickly changing the subject, the legilimens directed her attention towards Newt. “Achilles, you really don't recognize him?”

Achilles grew red in the face, his hands clenched at his sides. His brow furrowed and he nodded his head in Newt’s direction. “Yeah, I remember. You looked different in the papers. I know you think you’re some big shot Scamander, but you best watch yourself around Tina. If I see or hear of anything out of the ordinary, I’ll sic MACUSA’s entire team of Aurors on you and that case of yours, you hear me?”

“Loud and clear,” Newt responded sharply, “Be sure to give Madam Picquery our best. I’m sure she’ll be happy to know that you’ve threatened the husband of her best Auror, the one who disarmed Grindelwald?”

With that, Achilles disapparated into nothingness without so much as a goodbye. 

“Good riddance,” Newt muttered, turning to Queenie. “What was he on about Queenie? Interrogating Tina after she’d been awake for less than 24 hours? Threatening me? What of this mission he abandoned her on?”

“It’s a long story Newt, it began long before you came ‘round. I better let Teenie tell ya the whole story when she’s ready. Just know that Achilles’ ain’t to be trusted or messed with.”

The magizoologist nodded his agreement and relayed what happened before Queenie had arrived. Using her legilimency, she interrupted before he could complete his sentence: “A compromising position? Oh...OH. Jeez, that is bad. He asked about the rings too? Well I guess we’d better go ahead and resolve that. I’ll give you Ma and Pa’s rings to use later on. They’re only bands, but a resizing spell should do the trick. No need to worry, Newt, this is only temporary. I will say that I am surprised that Teenie remembered everything from last night.”

“As am I. Since you’re here, I’m going to go to the apartment to check on the creatures and wash up. I’ll be back later this afternoon.”

“Alright Newt, I’ll let Tina know. She’ll probably be resting most of the morning. We’ll see you when you get back.”

***

Later that afternoon, Newt returned to St. Laurent’s refreshed and much more awake than he had been that morning. He was eager to see Tina after they had been so rudely interrupted. He was curious to know more about Achilles Tolliver, but was not going to press Tina for information if she wasn’t ready or able to give it. 

He was pleasantly surprised to find Tina sitting on the edge of her bed, stretching and flexing her legs. She gave him a warm smile as he entered the room. “Hello you. I was wondering where you’d gotten off to, but Queenie said you went home to take care of some things.” 

“I did, but I couldn’t stay away long,” Newt replied cheekily, surprised at his own forwardness. He shook his head and quickly changed the subject. “I’m surprised to see you up and moving so soon?”

“Yes the healers came by while you were gone and showed me some stretches to do. My muscles aren’t very strong after having taken a four month nap, but the stretches should help. They said I could try to stand with support if I felt up to it.”

“Do you?” Newt asked, tilting his head sideways. 

Tina thought for a moment before nodding her head enthusiastically. “I’d like to try. Can you help me?”

“Of course,” the magizoologist replied while setting his case on the floor and out of the way. 

He stepped beside Tina and reached an arm around her waist hesitantly, “Like this?” he asked. She hummed her agreement and reached one arm around his neck, then the other. He placed his other arm around her and grasped her tightly, “Ready?” he confirmed. After she nodded, he gently pulled her up into a standing position. 

“I’ve got you,” he assured her. She was now on his level for the first time since their parting goodbyes at the docks last December. She smiled at him and rested her forehead against his for a brief moment. “How does it feel?” he whispered. 

“Wonderful. To finally be in your arms again it’s...wonderful,” she responded, nuzzling her face into his neck. “You smell good. Like the ocean.”

Newt shuddered with pleasure at the feel of her skin on his. He grasped her waist just a bit tighter to ground himself. Oh, this woman was tearing him to pieces without even realizing it. “Tina I -” 

“Shhh,” the Auror interrupted. “Just a few more moments,” she pleaded, as one of her hands slid into his hair, playing with the tousled locks at the base of his neck. Before he realized what was happening, Newt gave in to the embrace. If he never got to hold Tina again, he would remember this moment for the rest of his life. He slowly pulled away to look her in the eyes; they were heavy-lidded as she met his gaze.

In her next movement, Tina shifted her feet to find a more comfortable position when her right leg gave out from underneath her. Newt was quick to react and caught her before she hit the ground. Tina was breathless and scared, but grateful for Newt’s cat-like reflexes, especially in that moment. He slowly pulled her up as she whispered her thanks to him. “Good catch,” she said, chuckling. Though Newt was concerned, he couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh right along with her. Tina could see the concern in her husband’s eyes and did her best to reassure him, “Don’t worry, I’m alright thanks to you.”

Against his better judgment. Newt leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to Tina’s forehead. She leaned into it, closing her eyes and savoring the feel of his lips on her skin. Oh, how she wanted to be kissed by the man she loved most in this world. Tina hesitantly raised her head to meet his blue-green eyes. She could swim in those eyes for ages. She could feel his breath hitch in his chest as he pulled her that much closer. Their eyes closed as if nothing else mattered and Tina reached her hands to his cup his face, trusting him to support her, no matter what. Newt braced himself for whatever was about to happen between the two of them. He felt Tina’s warm breath on his lips and slightly parted his own. They were... _so close_ when-

_WHAM!_

The door to Tina’s room flew open with a bang, revealing Queenie on the other side of it. Her gaze immediately fell to Newt and Tina’s embrace, “Oops,” she whispered, closing the door quickly. 

“Queenie wait -,” Newt started, before remembering that he was still holding on to Tina. “I’m going to set you back on the bed for a moment, alright?” he said to her. “Will you be okay if I go find Queenie?”

“That’s fine, but why is she so upset Newt?”

“I...I think she might be missing Jacob,” Newt floundered for an explanation.

Tina’s eyes narrowed at Newt, but she accepted the explanation for the time being. “Will you please bring her back in with you? I want to see if I can take some steps. Maybe they’ll let me go home sooner if I can begin to walk.”

“Of course, love,” Newt responded, mentally kicking himself as the term of endearment came out of his mouth. He turned to leave and find Queenie before anything else happened between himself and the dark-haired witch. 

***

Queenie immediately apologized for interrupting Newt and Tina’s private moment, but Newt assured her that no apology was necessary. He had not intended to get as close to Tina as he had, but it seemed that the pull between the two of them was only getting stronger. He was glad that Queenie could be here to act as a buffer between two of them. 

As they headed back to room 224, Newt relayed Tina's desire to walk to her younger sister. “I was helping her stand when you walked in. Her knee buckled, but I was able to catch her. I'm thinking that she might be able to try to take a few steps if she has one of us on either side.”

Queenie nodded in response, “Sure, anything to get Teenie up and out of this place.”

“She thinks the healers will let her leave early if she can walk sooner. Er, she also thinks that you're upset about Jacob. She asked me why you left in a hurry and that was the first thing I could come up with. I'm sorry Queenie.”

“Don't sweat it honey, you did the best you could in the moment. Now let's go get our girl up and walking.”

The pair found Tina right on the edge of the bed where Newt had left her. Wordlessly, Queenie and Newt assumed a position on either side of the Auror and slowly pulled her to a standing position. They encouraged her to take a step, then another, and another. Before they all knew it, Tina had walked down the hall to the healer’s station with the help of Newt and Queenie. She began to cry tears of joy and exhaustion as Newt scooped her up and carried her back to her bed. Once in bed, she settled under the covers and closed her eyes. Her trip had taken all of her energy and she needed as much rest as possible before she tried to walk again. As she drifted off to sleep, she felt all the love in the world from the two people who mattered most to her. Queenie stroked her sister's forehead and Newt held her hand in his own. The last thing she thought before falling asleep was how lucky she was to have a man such as Newt in her life. 

After it looked like Tina had fallen asleep, Queenie held out her hand, revealing two simple wedding bands in her palm. “I went ahead and grabbed them for you,” she said, “I really didn’t think Teen would remember last night all too well, I’m sorry for any trouble this is causing.”

“It’s no trouble, it just causes me some concern. What if she never remembers our relationship correctly? I can’t pretend to be her husband forever, it wouldn’t be right.” he didn’t say what else he was thinking, though he knew the other might’ve heard it anyways, _‘And it could lead to some very awkward and indecent moments when she’s more recovered. I want to respect her, but it could come off the wrong way.’_

“I know, I’ve been thinkin’ about it too. She can’t go back to work if she doesn’t know what actually happened, and if she sees the date...she’ll know something’s not right.” Queenie sighed, not acknowledging the comments made silently, “But there’s still a chance it’ll resolve itself, right? At least we got her back…”

“At least we got her back,” Newt repeated, looking down at Tina’s sleeping figure thinking, _‘If it comes to it, I hope that she forgives us for the fib.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave us a comment and tell us what you think!


	8. Chapter 8

It had been just about a week since Tina had woken up, and the Auror was determined to be discharged. She was constantly doing the stretches she had been taught to do and, with the help of Newt and Queenie, walked more and more every day. Though she was slowly regaining proper movement of her limbs, Tina was still unable to recall the events that had led to her being in this state, though they now had been vaguely described to her. She also still believed that she was married to one Newt Scamander, shown by the small wedding band she now wore on her left hand.

Newt felt more and more guilty about continuing to lie as more days passed, worsened by the times they would share a sweet moment alone. While he loved that he was able to hold her close, he knew it was under false pretenses. If things kept up, it would only be a matter of time before Tina would expect something more physical from him, even if just a simple kiss. While he had kissed her forehead many times and they had also gotten very close to locking lips more than once, it had yet to actually happen. He wanted more than anything to be able to properly kiss her, but he felt it wouldn’t be right under the circumstances. Should their first kiss be while Tina wasn’t even aware that it _was_ their first kiss? 

The inevitable moment came the morning Tina received the news she had been dying to hear the healers give her; she would be able to return home the next day. After the healers had done their check up on Tina and given her the news, a huge smile broke out across her face. 

“I can go home, Newt,” she said, still smiling as the healers exited the room. “I can finally get out of here.” 

“You can,” Newt replied, smiling back at her and taking a seat next to her on the bed, “But seeing as you can’t walk properly quite yet, I hope you’re aware that you won’t be jumping into any crazy activities right away.” 

“I think I can handle that.” Tina had then leaned up and kissed him, catching the magizoologist completely off guard. Every other moment they had come close to this, he had seen it coming and was able to somehow prevent it. But this...it had been so casual, so...unexpected? Of course Tina wouldn’t wait for the ‘right moment’ to kiss him, she thought they were already married, but to him, it was all so unfamiliar.

Newt managed to return the kiss despite his guilt, and pulled her into a hug the best he could while she was still lying in the bed. 

“Do you think that you or Queenie could bring me some normal clothes to wear tomorrow?” she asked, “Something from my own wardrobe.”

“I’m sure I’d be able to do that,” replied Newt. “I’ll just ask Queenie to get a bag together for you. Shall I bring it by in the morning?”

“Yes please,” Tina said, nodding eagerly. She couldn’t wait to be in her own home, take a hot bath, and sleep in her own bed. She was merely hours away from being able to do all three things. 

“Newt, will you please make sure that Queenie includes my locket?” He nodded quietly in acknowledgement.

“See you tomorrow…” she murmured. As he exited the hospital room, he whispered, “Tomorrow.” The words hung in the air between them as a hopeful plea to the universe.

The next morning, Newt left for St. Laurent’s as early as possible. When he arrived, he found that Tina’s hospital bed had been stripped and the room was empty, bright, and clean. You could hardly tell that Tina had spent the last four months of her life in this room. Newt nearly jumped when he felt a small hand slip around him from behind. 

“Tina,” he whispered, acknowledging the witch. “I was wondering where you’d gone off to. Have they released you yet?” 

Tina shook her head. “Not yet. They were waiting for someone to come sign me out. They want to make sure that I’m not going home alone. I told them you’d be along this morning. Besides, I can’t leave in this can I?” Tina giggled, looking at her hospital gown. “No I suppose not,” Newt said, smiling as he handed her a small overnight bag with her clothes and necessities. She looked so radiant, even in a stark white gown, though she was still quite weak from the effects of lying in a bed for the better part of the spring. Newt was reminded of this when Tina turned to leave and stumbled on a corner of the bed. Luckily, he was able to catch her before she hit the ground. 

“Careful Tina,” he said quickly, hanging on to her upper arm with a strong grip. “No need to extend your stay here.”

She grimaced at the thought and steadied herself on the side of the bed. As she did, Newt relaxed his grip and dropped his arm to her waist, as if it had always belonged there. She turned at looked at him over her shoulder. “Thanks for the save. I should…” she trailed off, gesturing in the direction of the washroom. 

“Right then,” Newt responded in understanding. His face flushed slightly and he turned to leave. “I’ll head to the healer’s office and start the process then. Meet you there?”

Tina bit her lip and nodded to her husband as she watched him disappear into the main lobby. 

She smiled to herself, thinking about the way his strong arms and quick reflexes had been there to catch her before she fell. She hoped that it would always be that way.

As Newt approached the discharge office, a healer presented him with several forms on parchment. Newt immediately noted the name “Goldstein” at the bottom of Tina’s discharge forms. He shuddered when he thought of what her reaction might be to seeing any name other than “Porpentina Scamander”. He had to keep the ruse going and needed to have the information changed before Tina saw it. Newt found himself wishing that Queenie was there to help him. He’d always been a horrible secret-keeper, and it was only a matter of time before Tina remembered that she was not actually his wife.   
“Excuse me,” Newt quietly spoke to the healer, “C-can you change the last name on my wife’s discharge information? She no longer goes by Goldstein.”

“When she was admitted, there was no record of marriage,” the healer informed him while leafing through Tina’s file.

“We only just got married in England, a few months before the accident. I don’t suppose the record has been sent here yet.”

“It says her address is here in New York, Mr. Scamander. Not England.”

“She’s originally from here and has been staying with her sister while back in town.”

“I understand that Mr. Scamander, but we still require legal proof of marriage in order to make any changes to Ms. Goldstein’s personal information.” 

“I see,” Newt mumbled, “Perhaps I have a copy somewhere in my case. Give me a moment.”

Newt quickly stepped into an abandoned hospital room. With a swift “Accio”, he obtained a blank piece of parchment and charmed it into a marriage certificate, or at least one that would be believable for the time being. As he returned to the office, he saw Tina walking towards him. He handed the form to the healer who nodded as she looked it over. “Thank you Mr. Scamander. I’ll process this and you and Ms. Gold-Mrs. Scamander should be set to leave within the hour.”

“Thank you,” Newt replied, breathing a sigh of relief as Tina reached him.

“Hi,” she greeted him, somewhat shyly. “What was all that about? Everything okay?”

“Fine, just a paperwork error. They’re fixing it now and said we should be on our way within the hour. My, you clean up nice,” Newt said, attempting to distract Tina. 

She simply laughed and smoothed out her long black skirt. “I haven’t cleaned up yet Newt. I’m still dying for a hot bath. I want to get this hospital smell off of me.”

Newt laughed softly in response and once again slid his arm around her waist, pulling her slightly closer. “Then a bath you shall have my dear. As soon as we get home,” he promised, kissing her temple. Newt could get used to this: holding her, touching her, kissing her. In fact, it was starting to become second nature to him. He shook his head slightly in frustration. He couldn’t ignore that nagging voice in the back of his mind that told him what a horrible mistake he’d made, lying to the woman that he loves. 

After a few moments, the healer returned with the corrected forms for Newt and Tina to sign, which they did quickly. Tina was anxious to get home and ushered Newt towards the exit, but her feet still wouldn’t let her move at the desired pace. 

“Wait, Mr. Scamander!” the healer called, catching up to them. She handed Newt a folded up piece of parchment that he recognized to be the fake marriage record. “You forgot your-” the healer started to say, before Newt quickly cut her off. “Thank you!” Newt exclaimed, attempting to keep her from revealing the contents of the paperwork. 

Tina looked at her husband incredulously...she had never seen him talk over another person, especially not one as respected as a healer. “Newt, what was that all about? What’s gotten into you?” 

“Nothing darling,” Newt responded, a little to quickly. He winced at his automatic use of the term of endearment. 

Tina broke into a smile and reached to snatch the parchment out of his hand. She was too quick for him and before he realized what was happening, Tina had unfolded the form and began to read it aloud: “Mr. and Mrs. Newton Artemis Fido Scamander, wed January 15th, 1927 in London, England.”

“Our marriage record?” she asked, turning to Newt. “I don’t think I’ve even seen it yet.”

Newt smiled and gently took the record from Tina, placing it in the breast pocket of his teal blue coat. “Come on, let’s get you home.” 

***

Tina had never been happier to see the inside of the cozy apartment she used to call home with Queenie, who was there to greet Tina when she arrived. Newt and Tina had apparated to the alleyway beside the apartment. Though Tina was still weak, she was supported by Newt as they quietly climbed the stairs to the apartment, past the ever-listening ears of Mrs. Esposito. 

Queenie squealed and pulled her sister in for a hug, “Welcome home Teenie!” she greeted the pair enthusiastically. Tina winced as Queenie squeezed her tightly around her middle. “I’m sorry Teenie!” she said when she realized her mistake. “Did I hurt you?”   
Tina gasped slightly at her sister and nodded, but reassured her with a small smile. “It’s okay Queen. I’m just still a little sore. I will say that I am in dire need of a hot bath.”

Queenie caught Newt’s eye, then nodded at the pair. “Of course Teenie. Are you guys hungry? How about I pop out and get us some food for lunch later? Maybe after you’ve cleaned up and had a chance to rest?”

“That sounds great Queenie, thank you,” Tina replied, squeezing her sister’s hand gently. 

After Queenie left the apartment, Newt set his case on the floor of the living room and watched as Tina headed in the direction of the bedroom. “I’ll get the bath ready for you?” Newt offered. Tina nodded over her shoulder, “That’d be wonderful, thank you.”

Newt entered the washroom and prepped the bath with the hottest water he could manage and placed a warming spell on the tub so it wouldn’t get cold so quickly.

“Newt?” he heard Tina’s voice call from the bedroom. “Newt, can you help me?”

“Coming,” he responded. As he entered the room, he was taken aback by the sight that stood before him: Tina Goldstein, in all her glory. Her skirt was at her ankles and her shirt was askew. She had one arm out, but was unable to slide the shirt over her head. 

“It hurts to raise my arms all the way up,” she explained, gesturing towards her torso. Newt nodded in response, understanding her predicament and doing his best to avert his eyes from the more intimate parts of Tina’s body, which he knew he shouldn’t be seeing. 

With a gentle tug up her arms, Tina’s shirt was freed from her body. Newt dropped it to the floor and did his best to focus on Tina’s eyes. Her salamander-like eyes. She returned his gaze and gestured to the golden chain that remained around her neck. “Could you?” she said, turning her body away from him so that he could unfasten the clasp easily. 

Newt’s breath hitched in his throat as he took in the curve of her bare shoulders, his eyes daring to trail down the rest of her form. He reached up and quickly worked his fingers over the clasp. Tina gasped as his fingers gently touched the back of her neck as he undid the necklace and slid it from around her. He placed it on the dresser and once again focused on the upper part of Tina’s body. 

She turned around to face him in nothing but her undergarments. “Newt,” she whispered. He shifted his gaze slightly to meet hers and watched as she took a step closer to him. “Newt, you haven’t looked at me once since you came in here. Why is that?”

He couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Words were failing him miserably. “I...I...I don’t know Tina.” he finally responded. His gaze shifted to the floor. It was an honest enough answer, or so he figured. 

Tina reached her hand up to cup his cheek and brought his eyes back up to meet her own. “You know you can look. You are my husband after all.” 

Newt’s mouth finally caught up with his mind and he quickly spouted off a response, “It just didn’t seem like the right time, what with you just coming home and still not feeling completely better. I mean, you could barely get your shirt off without help. I don’t want you to get hurt again Tina,” his voice took a more serious tone at this revelation. “You scared me the first time. It’s not something I wish to see repeated.”

Newt slowly took a step forward and placed his hands on Tina’s cheeks, circling them with his calloused thumbs. This was it. This was as close as he could allow himself to get to her without feeling immense guilt. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and she leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his skin on hers. She wanted to explore that feeling so much more, but her body ached for relief from the pain she was in. 

After he pulled away, Tina reached up and brought him closer, placing a slow kiss on his lips. It was magical, chaste, and perfect. It was exactly what they needed at this moment in time. Afterwards, Newt rested his forehead against hers and smiled slightly. “There will be plenty more where that came from Mr. Scamander, rest assured,” Tina whispered, laughing quietly. 

“I have no doubt in my mind…” _A beat._ “...Mrs. Scamander.”

Tina laughed once more and reached for her dressing robe from behind the door. She headed to the washroom and found the hottest bath waiting for her. As she slowly removed the rest of her garments and sank into the steaming water, she felt immense relief and relaxation: so much so, that it was difficult to remain awake. 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Newt Scamander found himself wishing that HE was the one taking a bath...an ice cold one at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let us know what you think! We love your comments!


	9. Chapter 9

Newt quietly paced the length of the apartment, deep in thought about the events that had occurred earlier in the evening. He could not get the image of Tina’s perfect pale skin, her dark salamander-like eyes, and her long toned legs out of his mind. He felt immensely guilty for thinking of her in this way, but it was difficult not to, especially given their current situation. 

Tina had long fallen asleep. After her bath, she had donned her most comfortable pajamas and climbed into bed and fallen asleep. As she drifted off, she’d asked Newt to stay with her for a while; he willingly obliged. As he sat by her side, he gently stroked the dark curls surrounding her face, and rested his large, rough hands against her delicate ones. How he longed to lay next to her, hold her, and simply be near her. He saw the steady rise and fall of her chest as she slipped into a deep sleep, her head falling to the side, and her hand going limp in his. He removed his hand and breathed a sigh of relief. 

Three hours later, here he was, pacing the floors with no sleep, no food in his belly, and no less anxiety about the entire situation. Newt had hoped that Queenie would have been back much earlier than she was. He was roused out of his thoughts by Pickett, who chirped and pulled hard on his hair after Queenie walked in. She attempted to sneak past Newt quickly and quietly, but was noticed immediately by the unwitting creature. 

“Newt!” she exclaimed, surprised. “You’re still up? Where’s Teenie?”

“I am. She’s in bed.”

“This early?”

“It’s midnight Queenie. We expected you home with dinner hours ago.”

Newt noticed the immediate look of shock on her face and brought his hand to the back of his neck in embarrassment, “My apologies, Queenie, I didn’t mean to overstep. I suppose I’m just worried about how all of this is going to end for Tina. Did you have a good evening?” he asked, noticing her bag labeled “Kowalski’s Quality Baked Goods”. 

She blushed and looked at her shoes, “I did, thanks. He’s doin’ real well Newt. You’d be proud of him.”

A moment of silence for the friendship they had lost passed between them. 

“Anyway, I brought you and Teenie some treats for dinner, but I guess you’re the only one who gets to enjoy them. There’s a few things for breakfast too.”

“Thank you Queenie. I’m not sure I could stomach anything tonight, but I’ll try them in the morning.”

Queenie nodded and placed the bag on the counter. “Well, g’nite Newt. Make yourself comfortable on the couch I suppose. And Newt?”

“Mm?” he hummed in acknowledgement. 

“Try not to worry too much. Things will work out.” she advised, giving his arm a squeeze

He nodded and gave her a small hint of a smile. “You know my philosophy. Worrying means you suffer twice.”

“That’s the spirit!” Queenie responded with a giggle. “See ya tomorrow Newt. Sleep well.”

“Good night.”

***

Newt awoke with a start the following morning. He found himself in the same clothes from the night before, sprawled out on the Goldstein sisters’ living room couch. As his eyes adjusted to the light streaming through the window, Newt saw the form of another person out of the corner of his eye. It was Tina, sitting in a nearby armchair. She had a serious look on her face before she burst into a fit of quiet giggles. 

Newt blinked eyes and simply watched her. A lopsided grin formed on his face. “What? What’s so funny?” he asked hesitantly. 

Tina nearly snorted from laughing so hard. She managed to answer him while laughing at the same time: “You...snore...so...loud!”

“Ah well, good to know I can make you laugh, even when I’m practically unconscious. So it seems you’re feeling a bit better then?”

“I’d say so,” she responded, attempting to quell her laughter. 

“Are you well enough for breakfast? Queenie brought us some things from Kowalski’s late last night.”

“Late?” Tina asked, suddenly very interested in what Newt had to say about her sister.

Newt mentally kicked himself. He didn’t want to cause an argument between the sisters. “I just mean to say that she got home after you went to sleep. Which was late...for you…”

Tina could very clearly see right through Newt’s cover-up, but she was distracted by his offer of breakfast. “Where is Queenie anyway?”

“I haven’t seen her this morning, I assumed that she’d already gone to work.”

Tina hummed in response, “I suppose so…”

“Shall we?” Newt asked as he gestured to the bag of food on the counter from the previous night. 

She nodded and smiled as she opened the bag and pulled out creature-shaped croissants, rolls, and buns of all kinds. Newt’s jaw dropped in astonishment as Tina gave him a Niffler roll, while she herself bit into a Demiguise croissant. 

“These are…” Newt chuckled, shaking his head, “These are brilliant.”

“Aren't they?!” She exclaimed in response, mouth full of Demiguise. “They're wonderful, but very filling.”

Newt nodded in agreement. 

After they'd finished their breakfast, complete with a passionate discussion on their preferences of coffee and tea, Newt and Tina attempted to go their separate ways for the morning. 

“Well I'd better see to the creatures. They don't take too kindly to a late breakfast…”

“Oh Newt, let me go down with you, please? I could use the exercise.”

“Tina, I don't think that's a good idea with everything that's happened…”

“Please Newt? I'm feeling better, really!”

Newt Scamander was a weak man where Tina was concerned. He would quite literally do anything for this beautiful, intelligent woman, if only to see even the slightest smile on her face. 

“Alright Tina,” he consented.

She threw her arms around him and held on tight before running to her room to change. “Wait for me! I'll be back in a second,” she called over her shoulder.

When Tina returned, he unlatched his case and initiated their descent into a whole other world. Tina was not far behind him, holding on tightly to his hand as she took careful steps to reach solid ground. As her foot hit the rough dirt floor of his shed, he heard her sharp intake of breath. “It’s just how I remembered it,” she whispered. 

The shed was tidy, with the exception of Newt’s desk. Papers, drawings, and balled up parchment lay strewn across the surface of his desk. Boxes were stacked in every corner, labeled according to creature. A set of shelves contained a variety of jarred liquids, some glowing, some bubbling, others doing nothing at all. All around were various tools, plants, and equipment. It was as if she had never left after first seeing the shed. 

“Come this way,” Newt encouraged, as he led her to the doorway of the shed. “I had to pack light this time around, so most of the creatures are with my assistant Bunty back in London. But I do have four little bundles of excitement that you might find enjoyable.”

Tina’s curiosity was piqued as Newt brought her to a small burrow filled with every shiny object that could possibly exist: keys, coins, gems, costume jewelry, and even silverware. Whispering a quick charm to dismantle the lock on the burrow, Newt slowly opened the door, which was a small gate. Before he could completely open the door, a dark blur shot out of the hiding place. Tina jumped out of the way with a slight yelp as the blur latched itself onto Newt’s shoulder and snuggled into the crook of his neck. “Yes, hello and good morning to you too,” he cooed to the blur, which turned out to be his infamous Niffler. 

“I remember this fella,” Tina said, stepping closer to Newt and his inquisitive friend. Tina held her hand out to the Niffler and stood still. The Niffler sniffed her hand before noticing the gleaming wedding band on her finger, which he then began to swipe at. “Oy you,” Newt scolded as he pulled the Niffler away from Tina’s hand, “She’s not giving you that. Say, where are your little ones? Up to no good like their father?”

“Wait…” Tina hesitated, “You have babies?” 

“Well, I haven’t,” Newt responded cheekily, “But he has.” A grin formed on the magizoologist’s face as he nodded towards the creature cradled in his arms.

“But...where’s the mother?” Tina pressed.

“Ah...that’s a reasonable question, but one that I don’t have an answer for sadly.”

“So this one is a male?” 

Newt nodded.

“You’re sure? How do you know?”

“Trust me, Tina. I know.”

“Of course, of course. I don’t mean to doubt your knowledge, I’m just not sure I understand. You’re telling me a male Niffler conceived and had babies?” 

“Precisely. Ah, here are the little buggers now.”

Finally rolling out of the burrow, four small bundles of fur made their way in search of their father. They were highly disappointed to find a lack of shiny objects for them to play with, but were delighted to discover that Newt had brought a “new creature” into the case. They made a beeline for Tina: the darkest one settled in her hair, while the gray and white one scooted up her arm. The orange and white one climbed into her shirt pocket, while the smallest, a handsome tri-color male sat on her shoulder, chattering away in her ear. The babies were eager to explore their new creature and Tina collapsed on the ground in a fit of giggles as they crawled all around and over her. 

Newt was taken aback by the sight before him. The woman he loved, playing like a child with some of the most annoying, but loving creatures he’d ever known. He was mesmerized. He knew that he would hold on to this memory for the rest of his life, regardless of whether or not he and Tina truly ended up together.

“Alright, alright,” Newt called, as he was jolted out of his thoughts. “Let’s give Tina a break. She can only handle you buggers for so long.” 

Tina’s giggles subsided as she helped Newt scoop up the babies and the papa Niffler and returned them to their home. 

“That was…fun,” Tina said, smiling brightly. “How do you manage all of them? Can you imagine if THEY had been the ones to get loose in New York?”

“I can, and it’s my worst nightmare,” Newt replied, smiling back at her. 

“What will we do now?” Tina asked, excited for whatever was about to come next.

“How would you like to help me feed everyone?”

“I’d love that. Very much.”

***

After they’d fed all but the Graphorns, Tina was near exhaustion. The work wasn’t difficult, she'd only been helping Newt carry buckets of food from enclosure to enclosure, but her body was not yet ready for the amount of walking she had to do. Newt could tell that she was getting tired. 

“Tina, I don’t want you to push yourself. You’ve only been out of the hospital for a day. Why don’t you leave the Graphorns to me. Go on upstairs and I’ll be along in a few minutes.”

Tina nodded and planted a kiss on his cheek, thankful that she'd married such a kind and caring man. She traced her way back to the shed, through the Bowtruckle habitat and past the Mooncalves. Before she reached the Niffler’s burrow, Tina began to feel dizzy. The habitats around her were spinning and her vision was going dark. Her balance was thrown by the sudden bout of vertigo and she nearly collapsed. “Newt!” she called out in a small, but calm voice. He didn’t come. “NEWT!” she cried a little louder, begging to be heard. 

Newt thought he heard a voice, but shook his head to clear his thoughts. Once again, he heard his name in a louder, more desperate voice. He wasn't imagining it... _Tina_. He dropped the bucket of feed and raced in the direction of the voice. “Tina!? Tina?” He found her on her knees, barely able to hold her weight up. Newt quickly landed beside her and placed his shoulder under her arm to support her. “Merlin Tina, what happened?” 

“Dizzy…couldn’t see,” she responded, smiling at him weakly. 

“It’s alright, I’ve got you. Let’s get you into the shed.”

Newt kept his arm under her shoulder and wrapped the other behind her knees, picking her up and carrying her as he would an injured creature. She buried her head into his neck as the pair made their way to the shed. Upon their arrival, Newt quickly transfigured his most comfortable chair into a small bed for her to lay on. He propped her head up on several pillows and offered water, which she drank hastily. She leaned her head back on the pillows and closed her eyes. A sleepy smile formed on her face. “That’s one way to sweep a girl off her feet, Mr. Scamander.”

“Your resilience astounds me,” Newt replied in a teasing tone. “Despite nearly passing out, you’re still able to make jokes. I love you for that.”

The words were out of his mouth before he could take them back. He heard Tina’s sharp intake of breath as her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him. “You what?” she asked, not quite believing him. He’d not said anything of this manner since she’d awoken from her coma. She was beginning to wonder if he truly did love her. 

“I-I said that I love you...for your resilience...and, and your sense of humor even in difficult circumstances.” 

Tina’s eyes never left his. “Come here,” she whispered softly. 

Newt did as he was told and knelt down to Tina’s level. 

“Can I hear it one more time, just to make sure it’s real? That I’m not dreaming?” She reached for his hand and squeezed it. He leaned closer to her, his hand reaching to brush her hair away from her cheek as he had done once before. Her eyes closed briefly in response. 

Newt, more confident in himself and in his declaration, finally gave in to the feelings he’d been holding inside for so long. “I love you Porpentina,” he whispered. 

The tears that Tina had been holding back suddenly forced their way to the surface and she let out a watery laugh. Reaching a hand to his cheek, she gently caressed his face. “I love you Newt.” 

With those four words, Newt Scamander knew that he would never be happier than he was in this moment, with this woman. He leaned down and placed his hand over hers and kissed her chastely on the lips. She tried to deepen the kiss in an effort to entice him for more, but he gently stopped her before things could escalate. He reassured her: “Believe me Tina, as much as I want to be with you, what I want more is for you to fully heal and to feel like yourself again. I think it’s time that you rested for a bit. I’ll be back to check on you soon.” 

“Mmm, mhm. I think you’re right. Smart husband,” she replied, sleepily. With that, Tina nodded off to sleep, thinking of nothing but Newt and the love they shared.

Newt sighed with relief as Tina fell into a deep sleep. He left to finish with the Graphorns and set about completing menial tasks outside of the shed so as not to disturb Tina while she slept. 

After what felt like an eternity, Tina awoke with a start. She wasn’t in her own bed, but on some sort of mattress. In a shed. Newt’s shed. It all came back to her at once: dizziness, Newt’s arms around her, his lips on hers, and his words. Oh, his words. She’d finally heard the one thing she’d longed to hear him say since she had woken up. 

Tina slowly sat up and placed her feet on the ground. She glanced around, taking in the sights and smells of the shed. Her eyes trailed to Newt’s desk, where a stack of newspapers caught her eye. Curiously, Tina walked over to the desk. _The New York Ghost_. What was Newt doing with an American wizarding paper? As she searched through the stack, she came across a familiar headline, _Grindelwald Captured in New York City_. Her eyes were then drawn to the numbers in the upper corner of the page. It read _December 1926_. She couldn’t help but smile; while it wasn’t a great memory, it had been the time she met Newt. Newt...who had a record of their marriage saying they had wed in January of 1927. Had she really only known Newt for a month before they were married? No, something wasn’t right. At that moment, Tina gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She remembered...her tears, his touch, the boat’s horn, the cold air, his promise, her skip of happiness. It was all coming back. He’d left after the events of New York. He had a book to write. He was to bring it to her when he finished. He’d never returned...until her accident that is. They weren’t married. 

Tina began to sob uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face, a knot forming in her throat, anger coursing through her body. She sealed her eyes shut to block out...everything, but it was no use. At that moment, Newt entered the shed. “Tina what’s -” he paused. “Tina?”

“Newt.”

“Tina.” 

He realized what she was holding and his heart sank. Panic encompassed him. He moved towards her, but she flinched and took a step back. “Newt. What the hell is going on?”

“Tina, I can explain…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let us know what you think! We love reading your comments!!!


	10. Chapter 10

Tina felt a mix of sadness and anger looking at Newt. He had lied to her about the nature of their relationship. He had let her make a fool of herself around him. She had kissed him, changed her clothes in front of him... _she had told him that she loved him_. 

“Tina, please, let me explain.” Newt pleaded with her, “I know we should’ve told you the truth from the beginning, but you were so upset when you found out we didn’t have a child--” 

“No,” Tina cut him off, “I don’t want to hear whatever excuse you’re about to give. You lied to me. You let me believe we were married!” 

“I know I shouldn’t have--” 

Tina shook her head and motioned for the other to stop talking. “I don’t want to hear it. I...I don’t even want to be around you right now. I can’t.” with that, she turned on her heel and ran out of the case. Glancing around her small apartment, she then turned and bolted out the door before quickly walking down the street. She didn’t know where she was going, but she knew that she couldn’t be anywhere near Newt. And what about Queenie? She would’ve known what was going on to. 

Her own sister had let Newt lie to her. Queenie was just as guilty as Newt in all of this. Where had she gone to this morning, anyways? She hadn’t been home. 

Tina made her way as far from her apartment and the man inside it as she could. When she reached Central Park, she considered that getting lost in there might be her best escape route. No, she had to keep going. Tina disapparated even further into the city, where her mind unconsciously took her to the harbor where she had first said goodbye to Newt. Surely he wouldn’t think to come here?

She sat on a wooden bench on the docks beside the large steamships and sighed deeply. The sun was setting over the city and night would fall soon. Tina’s eyes welled up with tears that began to stream down her pale cheeks. She didn’t bother wiping them away. Her mind was everywhere and nowhere all at once. She just couldn’t understand what had possessed the people that supposedly loved her to let her live a lie, to let her make a fool of herself. Her tears turned into sobs that wracked her entire body. Soon, her shoulders were shaking and the lump in her throat had spread to her chest. The tears came in torrents as she considered her options. Jump in the harbor? Too dramatic. Board a steamship away from New York? Also rather drastic. Run away for a few days? That might just do the trick. Tina took deep breaths and tried to get her emotions under control. Before she could see clearly, she heard footsteps on the wooden planking of the dock. Turning her bleary eyes towards the source of the sound, she was greeted by a tall figure that loomed over her. 

“Hello there,” a deep voice greeted her. The man’s accent sounded eerily familiar.

Though Tina couldn’t see who the man was, she greeted him in a small, wavering voice, “Hello…”

***

Newt was panicked.

He scrambled out of the case and ran after Tina, but she was moving much more quickly than he was. He trailed after her for several blocks and lost her with a crack near Central Park. She had disappeared into thin air.

Newt backtracked and made his way to Kowalski’s Bakery in search of Queenie. When Newt entered the establishment, he was a flurry of words and gestures and tears and drew several stares from customers. Jacob noticed his friend and quickly cleared the bakery until only he and Newt were left. 

“Newt...buddy...what’s--”

“Jacob, where’s Queenie?” Newt quickly interrupted his friend.

“She’s upstairs, but Newt?”

Newt hightailed it up the stairs to Jacob’s apartment before the No-Maj could stop him. He threw open the door with a loud slam against the wall. He heard Queenie’s immediate reply “Jacob, is that you honey? I’m in the bedroom!” Without thinking, the magizoologist hurried in the direction of the younger Goldstein sister’s voice, though he was not prepared for the sight that would greet him upon entering the doorway to the bedroom. 

He’d seen Queenie in a state of undress before, but never in this context, and even then he had averted his eyes out of respect. Jacob hadn’t been so quick. 

Upon realizing that the man in the bedroom was not her lover, Queenie quickly hid under the covers. “NEWT. What are you doing here?!”

“I’m sorry Queenie, I realize this is an inopportune time, but Tina’s gone missing!”

“What?!”

“I said--”

“No, I heard what you said. Newt, close the door please.”

Newt obediently did as he was told, talking to Queenie through the door. 

“What happened?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“I-I-I don’t know, one minute we were in the case and the next moment she was looking at some papers on my desk. She...I think she saw the date on some old newspapers and realized that something was wrong. She remembered Queenie. She knows that I - that we - we lied.”

“And you have no idea where she is now?”

“None. I followed her as far as the park and she disapparated. I just...I don’t know what to do.”

Queenie emerged from the bedroom fully dressed, and blushing slightly. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry Newt, we’ll find her.”

“I’m sorry Queenie, I didn’t realize…” Newt apologized, blushing himself. 

“It’s alright, you know I’m not shy about my relationship with Jacob.”

“She’s very upset about this Queenie. I’m worried that she may not return.”

“She will Newt. She always does. Head injury or no head injury, she knows her way around this city like the back of her hand. She won’t get lost and she won’t be gone long. She loves you too much.”

“How do you-”

“Trust me Newt,” Queenie responded, winking and tapping her temple. “Come now, let’s go downstairs. Jacob will make us some cocoa and we can make a plan.”

Newt nodded, following the blond witch down the stairs and into the bakery, hoping the entire way that Tina would be alright.

***

As Tina’s eyes cleared of moisture, the man came a bit more into focus. He was older, with a kind face, twinkling eyes, and auburn-gray hair facial hair that was neatly trimmed. He walked around the bench to stand beside Tina. “Hello my dear,” he said again. “I couldn’t help but notice that you were crying, and I just wondered if you needed some help?” 

Tina sniffed and swiped at her eyes, offering a small, watery smile. “No, thank you. I think I’m okay.”

“I beg to differ, miss. You seem very upset. May I sit down?”

Not wanting to be rude to such a seemingly kind gentleman, Tina nodded and moved over, offering him a spot on the bench beside her. 

“May I ask what’s on your mind? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to intrude, but it’s awfully late for you to be out here at the docks all alone. You know, things happen around here at night that no one can seem to explain.”

_‘Ah, he’s a No-Maj then,’_ Tina thought. “What kinds of things?” 

“Oh, you know,” the man responded, “Strange sounds, things disappearing, people going missing. That sort of thing.”

“Oh, I had no idea. I haven’t...I haven’t been around here for a while,” she responded, sadly. 

“Been out of town?”

“Something like that,” Tina sighed. 

She looked at the man. His warm blue eyes reminded her of Newt’s. She felt the muscles in her chest twist with sadness. She must have outwardly shown her pain more than she was aware of, because the man suddenly looked at her with a concerned expression. 

“Are you sure I can’t help you at all?” he asked.

Tina shook her head and responded, “Not unless you can erase the last six months of my life.”

“I’m afraid not, unfortunately,” the man said with a slight smile, “You’d need a good bit of magic to do that.”

“Hmm, magic…” Tina hummed to herself. 

“You’re in love aren’t you?” the man asked. 

Tina snapped her head to the left to look at the man directly in the eyes. “How did you--”

“Not many reasons a young lady like yourself would be crying on a bench by the water. Tell me my dear, what did they do?”

“He...my...I don’t even know what to call him. He lied to me. He hurt me. He let me believe that he was my husband and...well...I caught him in the lie, along with my sister.”

“And has this man lied to you before?”

“N-no. Not that I can remember. I think he’s one of the most transparent people I’ve ever met. He’s always been honest with me.”

“Did he get to explain his reasoning?” 

“He...he tried. I walked out before he could fully explain. I didn’t want to hear whatever he had to say. It just hurt too much.”

“If he’s never given you a reason to doubt him before, don’t you think you should give him the benefit of the doubt?”

Tina simply stared at this man who seemed so strangely invested in her love life. “I’m sorry sir, but why do you care so much?” 

“Let’s just say, I know a thing or two about regret. It’s been my constant companion these past few years. Miss, I’d strongly suggest that you don’t let it become yours.”

_‘Regret. I don’t regret anything I’ve had with Newt, whether it was real or fake. It was all real to me.’_

The realization of her thoughts hit Tina like a ton of bricks. She wasn’t ready to let go of Newt yet. She needed to get to him, quickly. 

Tina brushed away the remainder of her tears and leapt to her feet in a hurry.

“I’m so sorry to leave you, but there’s someone I need to see,” she said, turning her back on the man. “Thank you for your help Mister…?”

_Silence._

Tina turned around to make eye contact with the man and was greeted with a flash of light, a swirling sensation, and pain. Through the confusion, she made out a name that was said in a snarled tone of voice... 

“Mister Youngblood. Laris Youngblood.”

_Laris Youngblood._

Everything faded to darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait on this chapter, but tell us what you think!   
> Find us on tumblr if you want   
> hidetheteaspoons at the same name and oceanicflights @newsalamandertina !

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment and tell us what you think!


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